- NASA adjusting schedule for SpaceX's Starliner mission due to encountered issues
Due to some technical glitches with the "Starliner" spacecraft, NASA, the American space agency, has had to come up with a new plan to rescue two astronauts who are currently stuck in space. As a result, NASA announced that astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson won't be flying to the International Space Station (ISS) on a planned mission with the "Dragon" spacecraft towards the end of September, as originally scheduled.
Instead, Suni Williams and her companion Barry Wilmore will occupy their spots for the planned re-entry mission in February 2025. Accompanying them on this trip to our cosmic abode, 400 kilometers above Earth, will be astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov. NASA assured that Cardman and Wilson would be considered for future assignments.
Lunar Expedition
Initially, Williams and Wilmore, the astronauts aboard the "Starliner", were intended to stay on the International Space Station (ISS) for only a week following the inaugural manned launch of the malfunctioning spacecraft by US corporation Boeing in early June. However, it seems now that their stay will exceed eight months.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson cited safety reasons as the justification for not sending the faulty "Starliner" back to Earth with a crew onboard, as technical challenges, including engine issues and helium leaks, occurred post-launch. Since then, the two astronauts have been marooned on the space station. The docked Starliner is expected to make an unmanned return journey to Earth during the night from September 6 to 7.
The scientific community is closely monitoring the situation with the stranded astronauts, as this incident could provide valuable insights for future space missions. The scientific approach to this issue involves analyzing the data gathered from the Starliner's technical glitches to enhance spacecraft safety and reliability in the future.
