Astronauts Stranded By Faulty Boeing Spacecraft To Remain In Orbit For Weeks

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for 49 days, far exceeding their planned eight-day mission. The delay is due to helium leaks discovered in their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was on its first crewed voyage.

Initially, the mission encountered significant technical issues after launching on June 5, 2024. The astronauts are now expected to stay in orbit until at least August, pending the results of crucial thruster tests scheduled for this weekend. If these tests prove successful and the helium leaks remain stable, NASA will schedule an agency review next week to determine the return date for Wilmore and Williams.

Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, emphasized the priority of safely returning the astronauts using Starliner. However, if the spacecraft is deemed unsafe, NASA has backup plans in place, including using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to bring the astronauts home. The Crew Dragon, which recently transported four astronauts to the ISS in March, is capable of carrying additional passengers if necessary.

Mark Nappi, manager of the Boeing Starliner program, expressed regret for initially stating that the mission would last only eight days, acknowledging the backlash faced by the company due to the extended mission. Nappi assured that Boeing is confident in the spacecraft’s ability to bring the crew back safely.

“The beauty of having Dragon and Starliner is that we have two different systems of transportation to the ISS,” Stich said, highlighting the importance of having multiple commercial spacecraft available for missions. SpaceX has been the sole commercial company approved to transport astronauts and cargo to the ISS since 2020, providing a crucial backup for such situations.