NASA said on Wednesday that astronauts delivered to the International Space Station by Boeing's Starliner could return on SpaceX's Crew Dragon in February 2025 if Starliner is still deemed unsafe to return to Earth.
Starliner spacecraft launched in June carrying two astronauts to the ISS in a high-stakes test mission required before NASA can certify the spacecraft for routine astronaut flights.
But the mission, initially expected to last about eight days, has been drawn out far longer by an array of problems with the craft's propulsion system that Boeing and NASA have been scrambling to fix.
Those problems have called into question Starliner's ability to safely return to Earth its crew, veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. NASA has been examining whether a Crew Dragon capsule will have to bring them home instead.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
"She Hasn't Sought Asylum, Those Reports Are Incorrect": Sheikh Hasina's Son To NDTV
NASA Delays SpaceX Mission to Prioritise Fixing Space-Stuck Boeing Starliner NASA Delays SpaceX ISS Mission As Boeing Starliner Faces Issues Sunita Williams 'Not Stranded But...': ISRO Chief To NDTV On Huge Challenge JD Vance Couch Story: What It Is And How It Got So Much Traction "Are You Going To Arrest Arvind Kejriwal Again?" High Court To Probe Agency Women, Non-Muslims On Boards, Council Can't Claim Land: Waqf Act Changes Himachal Pradesh Cloudburst Death Count Rises To 22 Constitution Is A "Powerful Tool" To Curb Disparities: Chief Justice 131.3 Lakh Fishermen Covered Under Centre's Insurance Scheme: Minister Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.