Astronaut chooses daughter’s wedding over space test flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL (AP) — The commander of Boeing’s first astronaut flight has pulled himself off the crew.

Chris Ferguson made the decision so he’s on Earth, and not the International Space Station, for his daughter’s wedding next year.

It’s the second crew switch for Boeing’s Starliner capsule.

It’s grounded until the end of this year or early next because of software problems encountered during the first test flight last December.

The former NASA astronaut says he’ll continue working on the Starliner program for Boeing, just not from space.

Last year, NASA astronaut Eric Boe stepped aside from the first flight for medical reasons.