NASA astronauts may not return until 2025
After years of delay, Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft successfully launches two NASA astronauts to the ISS in June. Initially planned to stay for about a week, they have now been there for over two months, with their stay extended indefinitely due to safety concerns.
The future of two NASA astronauts, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to issues with the "Starliner" spacecraft instead of the planned round week, remains uncertain. A final decision on the timing and manner of their return will not be made until at least the end of next week, or possibly the week after, NASA announced.
The main options being discussed are: firstly, the originally planned return of astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Barry Wilmore aboard the troubled "Starliner". However, this requires resolving and addressing issues with the engines and helium leaks, which has not yet been achieved.
The second option is for the "Starliner" to return to Earth unmanned, which would also require a comprehensive software reconfiguration. This could result in the planned September launch of "Crew 9" with SpaceX's "Crew Dragon" having only two astronauts instead of four. Williams and Wilmore would be part of this crew and return to Earth with their two colleagues in February 2025.
"Bob and Sunita are doing well on the International Space Station and continue to perform important tasks alongside the rest of the crew," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson wrote on X. "Safety is our top priority, and NASA is exploring every option to ensure the safe return of Bob and Sunita."
"Starliner" capsule to replace SpaceX capsule
The "Starliner" is a partially reusable spacecraft consisting of a roughly three-meter-high crew capsule and a service module, which, unlike SpaceX's "Crew Dragon", lands on Earth rather than in water.
The spacecraft embarked on its first manned test flight from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in early June, after years of delays. In May 2022, the "Starliner" successfully completed its first unmanned flight to the ISS, where it spent four days. In the future, it is intended to serve as an alternative to the "Crew Dragon" spacecraft for transporting astronauts to the ISS.
The extended stay of astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore on the ISS is largely due to the need for improved education and addressing issues with Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft. Without resolving engine problems and helium leaks, their planned return aboard the "Starliner" is uncertain.
In the long term, successful resolution of these issues could enable "Starliner" to become an alternative for transporting astronauts to the ISS, enhancing the global education in space exploration.
