Nasa is considering extending the stay of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who flew with Boeing‘s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) from one week to eight months.
Nasa on Wednesday said that if Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains unsafe for returning astronauts to Earth, then those aboard the International Space Station may need to use SpaceX‘s Crew Dragon for their journey home in February 2025.
The decision on whether to continue with Starliner, which encountered concerning propulsion problems during its June flight to the ISS, is expected to be made later this month, as stated by officials in a recent press briefing. However, with the two additional astronauts stranded on the ISS, Nasa has had to develop a plan to bring them back to Earth.
SpaceX, Boeing’s competitor owned by Elon Musk, is already engaged in comprehensive planning to potentially launch their Crew-9 mission on September 24 with only two astronauts instead of the typical four.
If this plan is implemented, the Crew Dragon capsule would return to Earth in February with Starliner’s crew, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. This situation would be a significant setback for Boeing, a major aerospace company.
Boeing’s starliner docked for months
Earlier Nasa announced a delay in SpaceX’s upcoming crewed mission, pushing the launch date from August to September 24. The two astronauts reached their two-month milestone on the space station on Tuesday.
The Starliner has been docked at the station because of anomalies detected in its propulsion system during the flight. Since docking with the ISS in June 2024, the Starliner has encountered thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. These issues have led to extended testing and troubleshooting by engineers.
However, Nasa is exploring various options for the return of Williams and Wilmore, including the possibility of utilising a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The agency is also considering backup plans to ensure that the astronauts can return safely once the technical issues with the Starliner are resolved. Boeing and Nasa have been working to resolve these problems and get the mission back on track.
(With inputs from agencies)
Nasa on Wednesday said that if Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains unsafe for returning astronauts to Earth, then those aboard the International Space Station may need to use SpaceX‘s Crew Dragon for their journey home in February 2025.
The decision on whether to continue with Starliner, which encountered concerning propulsion problems during its June flight to the ISS, is expected to be made later this month, as stated by officials in a recent press briefing. However, with the two additional astronauts stranded on the ISS, Nasa has had to develop a plan to bring them back to Earth.
SpaceX, Boeing’s competitor owned by Elon Musk, is already engaged in comprehensive planning to potentially launch their Crew-9 mission on September 24 with only two astronauts instead of the typical four.
If this plan is implemented, the Crew Dragon capsule would return to Earth in February with Starliner’s crew, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. This situation would be a significant setback for Boeing, a major aerospace company.
Boeing’s starliner docked for months
Earlier Nasa announced a delay in SpaceX’s upcoming crewed mission, pushing the launch date from August to September 24. The two astronauts reached their two-month milestone on the space station on Tuesday.
The Starliner has been docked at the station because of anomalies detected in its propulsion system during the flight. Since docking with the ISS in June 2024, the Starliner has encountered thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. These issues have led to extended testing and troubleshooting by engineers.
However, Nasa is exploring various options for the return of Williams and Wilmore, including the possibility of utilising a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The agency is also considering backup plans to ensure that the astronauts can return safely once the technical issues with the Starliner are resolved. Boeing and Nasa have been working to resolve these problems and get the mission back on track.
(With inputs from agencies)
