Starliner astronauts

Starliner Woes Spark Musk-Mogensen Online Melee 

February 20, 2025Posted inStarliner
Starliner astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore. Image by Richard P Gallagher

February 21, 2025 

NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, now in their 261st day aboard the International Space Station (ISS), remain at the center of a prolonged mission saga sparked by Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft. Their extended stay, originally planned as an eight-day test flight, has escalated into a public spectacle, fueled by technical setbacks, political rhetoric, and a fiery online spat between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former ISS commander Andreas Mogensen on February 20, 2025. 

Crew-10 Launch Fast-Tracked, Crew-9 Return Set to Follow

Crew-10 Launch Fast-Tracked, Crew-9 Return Set to Follow

February 12, 2025Posted inCrewed, Florida News, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Starliner, Things to Do and See in Florida
The official portrait of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 members with (from left) Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos; Pilot Nichole Ayers and Commander Anne McClain, both NASA astronauts; and Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Photo credit: NASA/Bill Stafford/Helen Arase Vargas
The official portrait of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 members with (from left) Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos; Pilot Nichole Ayers and Commander Anne McClain, both NASA astronauts; and Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Photo credit: NASA/Bill Stafford/Helen Arase Vargas

In a news release Tuesday, NASA and SpaceX announced they are moving forward with adjusted launch and return timelines for the upcoming crew rotation missions to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

Trump Calls For Quick Return of Astronauts “Abandoned In Space”

Trump Calls For Quick Return of Astronauts “Abandoned In Space”

January 29, 2025Posted inBoeing, National News, Politics, SpaceX, Starliner
Boeing's Starliner heads to the ISS on June 5, 2024 for what was supposed to have been an eight day mission. The two astronauts on board are still on the ISS today, awaiting a ride home. Photo: Chris Leymarie/FMN
Boeing’s Starliner heads to the ISS on June 5, 2024 for what was supposed to have been an eight day mission. The two astronauts on board are still on the ISS today, awaiting a ride home. Photo: Chris Leymarie/FMN

President Donald Trump has called upon SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to expedite the return of NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts have been aboard the ISS since June 2024, following an extended mission due to technical issues with their original Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

Starliner CFT Astronauts Never-Ending Mission Is Extended Again

Starliner CFT Astronauts Never-Ending Mission Is Extended Again

December 18, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, Boeing, Crewed, Falcon 9, ISS, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Starliner
Boeing Starliner
Boeing Starliner – Photo: NASA

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have had their missions extended yet again, this time until at least March, and possibly April 2025. Originally planned as an eight-day mission, Williams and Wilmore’s straightforward task was to take Boeing’s Starliner on its debut flight with crew, dock at ISS for a brief visit before returning home. That was not meant to be.

Boeing Starliner

Boeing Reportedly Exploring Sale of Space Division Amid Financial Troubles

October 26, 2024Posted inBoeing, ISS, Space News, Starliner
Boeing's Space Operations have been plagued by delays, cost overruns, and technical challenges such as those experienced by the Starliner program. Photo by Charles Boyer/FMN
Boeing’s Space Operations have been plagued by delays, cost overruns, and technical challenges such as those experienced by the Starliner program. Photo by Charles Boyer/FMN

Oct. 25, 2024 – Boeing, once a cornerstone of U.S. space exploration, is reportedly considering selling parts of its space business, including its NASA operations and the troubled Starliner spacecraft, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The move is seen as part of a broader restructuring effort by new CEO Kelly Ortberg to stabilize the company’s finances and refocus its operations.

NASA Releases 2025 Commercial Crew Plan

NASA Releases 2025 Commercial Crew Plan

October 16, 2024Posted inBoeing, Crewed, Falcon 9, ISS, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Starliner
Commercial crew astronauts, from left, European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer, and NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn, Raja Chari, and Kayla Barron, pose for a photo in their Dragon spacesuits during a fit check aboard the International Space Station’s Harmony module on April 21, 2022.
Photo: NASA

NASA’s Commercial Crew office released its high-level plan for 2025 today. It has few surprises, with two SpaceX Commercial Crew missions, and offers the slightest of updates for Boeing’s Starliner program and holds out the possibility of a Starliner flight next year.

NASA’s Crew-9 Prepares for ISS Mission– Starliner Astronauts Countdown to Homecoming in 2025

NASA’s Crew-9 Prepares for ISS Mission– Starliner Astronauts Countdown to Homecoming in 2025

September 22, 2024Posted inCrewed, ISS, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Starliner
Crew 9 members arrive at the KSC Shuttle Landing Strip Saturday afternoon, to prepare for launch to ISS. Image by Richard P Gallagher/FMN
Crew 9 members arrive at the KSC Shuttle Landing Strip Saturday afternoon, to prepare for launch to ISS. Image by Richard P Gallagher/FMN

 

The NASA SpaceX Crew-9 mission, set to launch on September 26, 2024, will see NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov embarking on a six-month scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS). For the first time, a crewed mission will be launched from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, adding a new dimension to SpaceX’s launch capabilities and enhancing operational flexibility (NASA). This mission will also formularize Starliner astronauts currently aboard the ISS with the Dragon spacecraft operations in preparation for their return flight home after the completion of the Crew 9 mission. 

NASA Reveals Details on Upcoming Starliner Return from ISS

NASA Reveals Details on Upcoming Starliner Return from ISS

September 4, 2024Posted inBoeing, NASA, Space News, Starliner
Boeing Starliner
Artists Rendition of Boeing Starliner Crew Capsule Graphic: Boeing Space

In anticipation of what will now be the uncrewed return of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS), NASA held a pre-departure briefing on Wednesday, September 4, from its Johnson Space Center in Houston. The briefing featured Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, Dana Weigel, manager of the ISS at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and ISS Flight Director Anthony Vareha. The officials shared critical updates and a refined timeline for Starliner’s return mission to Earth, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 6.

NASA Announces Crew Revision for SpaceX Crew-9 Mission to ISS

NASA Announces Crew Revision for SpaceX Crew-9 Mission to ISS

August 30, 2024Posted inISS, NASA, Space News, Starliner
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. (Credit: NASA)
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. (Credit: NASA)

Houston, TX — NASA has announced a revised crew lineup for the upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). According to a news release today,the mission, now scheduled to launch no earlier than Tuesday, September 24, will feature NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov as the primary crew members. Hague will serve as the mission commander, while Gorbunov will take on the role of mission specialist.

80 Days at ISS: Crew-9 Rescue? Polaris Dawn Spacewalk—Read All About It!

August 24, 2024Posted inBoeing, ISS, KSC, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Starliner
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft at the ISS photographed outside of the Harmony module. Credit: NASA

Boeing Starliner Astronauts Mark 80th Day Aboard ISS Amid Growing Concerns 

As the calendar flips to the 80th day since their arrival, the crew aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft continues its mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who launched on this expedition on June 5, 2024, have been engaged in a variety of scientific experiments and station maintenance tasks. However, with growing technical challenges and ongoing discussions about their return, the crew’s extended stay is becoming a subject of interest among space agencies and enthusiasts alike.