SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to return Boeing Starliner crew to Earth

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will bring back two NASA astronauts who have been on board the International Space Station for about 80 days due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. This marks a significant turn of events for Boeing. NASA held a formal review to determine the safety of the Starliner vehicle for the return journey, and ultimately decided to use the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft instead. The Starliner faced setbacks with helium leaks and thruster malfunctions during its first crewed test flight. Discussions within NASA prompted the consideration of using the Crew Dragon vehicle. The decision was made based on NASA’s experience with spaceflight and the unanimous agreement of NASA representatives. The crew members will be brought back on a reconfigured Crew-9 mission, which will now carry two astronauts instead of the originally planned four. The astronauts will remain on-site for an additional six months before their return. The Starliner vehicle will fly back empty in September. If the uncrewed return goes well, NASA will decide whether to grant Starliner certification for human spaceflight. Boeing remains focused on the safety of the crew and spacecraft and plans to address the issues for future missions.