NASA has made the decision to switch astronauts from Boeing's Starliner to SpaceX's Crew Dragon for the return trip to Earth. This change was due to safety concerns, as Crew Dragon has a proven track record of successful crewed missions over the past four years, while Starliner has faced issues.
The original Starliner crew, consisting of astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, will now join Crew-9 aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Crew-9's mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch in the future and return in 2025.
In order to accommodate Williams and Wilmore on Crew-9, NASA had to replace two astronauts who were already trained for the mission. Stephanie Wilson and Zena Cardman were removed from the crew, with Cardman being replaced as the mission commander by Nick Hague.
Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who secured a seat through a NASA-Roscosmos agreement, will remain on the flight alongside Hague. Cardman expressed both sadness and pride in handing over command, emphasizing the teamwork and dedication of the Crew-9 members.
Despite the changes, the astronauts involved have shown a commitment to the larger mission of space exploration. Cardman's message on social media reflected the crew's unity and shared purpose in embarking on this space journey together.
