NASA is on the verge of a significant decision regarding the future of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have spent more than two months on the International Space Station. Their planned eight-day stay for a Boeing Starliner test flight has been prolonged due to issues during the spacecraft’s docking.
What is happening?
The mission, aimed at certifying Starliner for future missions, has faced various technical issues, including failures in multiple propulsors of the ship’s reaction control system crucial for the ISS decoupling and safe re-entry.
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Engineers and experts from NASA and Boeing have collaborated extensively to analyze data and ensure the safe return of astronauts. A Flight Readiness Review is scheduled for Saturday to make the final decision, followed by a press conference from NASA to announce the next steps.
What should you anticipate?
If experts determine that the Starliner’s return is too risky, Wilmore and Williams might need to extend their time at the ISS until February of the following year. In such a situation, they would return on the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which has carried out 12 successful crewed missions. Consequently, this would lead to two astronauts being left out of the upcoming Crew-9 mission to make room for the Starliner astronauts.
If the Starliner cannot return the crew, the capsule should detach from the station and return to Earth without passengers. This potential failure may result in the ship needing a new test flight to be certified for future missions.
We are currently awaiting NASA’s ultimate choice, with the expectation that Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will come back safely, whether aboard Starliner or Crew Dragon.
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