NASA bumps two astronauts from upcoming flight to give Starliner crew a ride home in February

NASA has bumped two female astronauts, including the commander, from the next SpaceX crew rotation flight to the International Space Station, freeing up two seats to give the agency's Starliner astronauts a ride home next February.

Rookie Crew 9 commander Zena Cardman and veteran Stephanie Wilson will remain behind when the Crew Dragon ferry ship takes off from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sept. 24 carrying crewmate Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.

Also on board: clothing, supplies and SpaceX pressure suits for Starliner commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams, whose originally planned eight-day test flight reached its 86th day on Friday. By the time they land aboard the Crew 9 capsule next February, they will have logged more than 262 days in space.