The two NASA astronauts currently on the International Space Station(ISS) may be forced to extend their stay in space until February 2025. This change is due to technical problems with the spacecraft that transported them to orbit, raising concerns about the safety of their return to Earth.
The two NASA astronauts and the “rescue mission”.
Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams arrived at the ISS in June as the first to test Boeing’s new Starliner capsule. They were originally scheduled to return several months ago, but failures in the capsule’s thrusters delayed their return indefinitely. This problem has led NASA to consider safer alternatives, including the possibility of bringing them back on a SpaceX flight, rather than risk using the Starliner again.
If this option is confirmed, the astronauts would have to watch from the ISS as the Starliner returns to Earth without them. Ken Bowersox, NASA’s director of space operations, indicated that the agency is carefully evaluating the situation and that a final decision will be made in mid-August. According to Bowersox, they have received opinions from a variety of experts and the choice is not a simple one.
This change of plans could affect the next SpaceX flight scheduled for September, on which four astronauts, three from NASA and one Russian, are assigned. If it is decided that Wilmore and Williams will return on that flight, two of the originally scheduled astronauts could remain on the ground to make room for them.
The prospects for Boeing and NASA
Boeing, on the other hand, has assured that the Starliner capsule capsule can still carry astronauts safely back, although it would need to modify its software in case the decision is made to make an uncrewed return. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program, commented that there had been no serious contemplation of launching a separate SpaceX flight flight just to bring back Wilmore and Williams, but the possibility remains open.
During ground testing, problems have also been detected with the Starliner’s thrusters. Engineers have observed that the seals expand as they overheat, which then causes them to contract back to their original size, with the cause of this behavior not yet fully understood. However, all but one of the Starliner’s failed boosters have been reactivated in orbit.
It is critical for Starliner to function properly, because it needs to separate from the ISS after undocking and keep the capsule in the proper position for deorbit. In addition, technicians are working on sealing the helium leaks in the propulsion systema crucial adjustment for the necessary maneuvers in space.
SpaceX, which sent its first NASA crew to the ISS in 2020, has been seen as a reliable alternative. Since then, it has completed nine manned flights for the agency, with the next one scheduled for late September, after a month’s delay to allow more time in making decisions about Starliner’s return.
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Photo: NASA / AP
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