When astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5, they anticipated a brief stay of just a few days.
However, due to unexpected problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, they now face the possibility of missing the summer and potentially spending Christmas and New Year in space.
The Starliner mission, a test flight for the new spacecraft, encountered several issues during its approach, including propulsion system leaks and thruster malfunctions.
Although they successfully reached the ISS, the Starliner’s return capabilities are under review, and the astronauts may need alternative arrangements for their return.
At a recent briefing, NASA officials stated that while returning on the Starliner remains the primary plan, alternative options are being explored.
Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, mentioned, “Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner.
However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.”
One potential solution is to include Wilmore and Williams on a SpaceX Crew Dragon mission scheduled for September, which would return them to Earth in February 2025.
This scenario would extend their stay on the ISS from eight days to over eight months. If this option is chosen, the Starliner could return uncrewed under computer control.
Ken Bowersox, NASA’s director of space operations, indicated that the possibility of an uncrewed return of the Starliner has increased recently.
“That’s why we’re looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it,” he said.
Using SpaceX for their return would be a setback for Boeing, which has been competing with SpaceX’s more established Crew Dragon.
Recently, NASA used a SpaceX rocket to deliver additional supplies to the ISS, including clothes for the astronauts.
Despite the extended mission, both Wilmore and Williams have maintained a positive outlook. Williams, a retired Navy helicopter pilot on her third ISS stint, said, “It feels like coming back home.
It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team.”
The situation is reminiscent of previous extended stays in space, such as Russian Valeri Polyakov’s 437 days aboard the Mir space station or Frank Rubio’s 371 days, the longest time an American has spent in space.
Though their stay may be longer than anticipated, both astronauts remain upbeat about their mission and their unexpected extended time in space.
Source-BBC
