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By Next Year, NASA Astronauts May Not Have a Ride to the Space Station

Due to delays in the Commercial Crew Program, NASA may soon be left without a ride to space.

By Hailey Rose McLaughlin
Nov 22, 2019 10:00 PMNov 22, 2019 9:58 PM
Eric Boe in Boeing capsule - NASA
NASA astronaut Eric Boe exits the Boeing crew capsule mock-up at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. (Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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NASA may be sending fewer astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) beginning in April because of the delays in spacecraft from Boeing and SpaceX, according to a new report from the NASA Office of the Inspector General.

The report, released on November 14, found that because of the delays from Boeing and SpaceX, along with a reduced schedule for the Russian Soyuz rockets, operations on the ISS may be affected.

With a smaller crew on the station, research and development of future space missions would be pushed back until a commercial partner has a certified rocket and capsule, ready to bring a fresh crew of astronauts to the ISS.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's Starliner. (Credit: SpaceX/Boeing)
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