Nasa Astronauts Aboard Boeing’s Starliner May Remain in Space Until August

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Two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule may need to extend their stay in space until mid-August due to ongoing technical issues. The astronauts have been stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 6 following the first crewed docking of the Starliner spacecraft. Initially, the mission was slated to last about a week, but several problems, including faulty thrusters and helium leaks, have delayed their return.

 

NASA announced on Wednesday that it is still conducting tests to ensure the capsule's performance meets safety standards. Although the space agency is confident in the craft’s ability to handle an emergency evacuation, mission managers are not yet ready to schedule its departure. Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, indicated that the data might allow for a return by the end of July, but emphasized that the process would be thorough and methodical.

 

“We’re going to work methodically through our processes, including a return flight readiness review with the agency, before we get the go to proceed towards undocking and landing. This is a very standard process,” Stich said during a press conference. He added that a routine ISS crew rotation in mid-August serves as a deadline to avoid overcrowding on the space station. “A few days before that launch opportunity we would need to get Butch and Suni home on Starliner,” he noted.

 

The ISS, which currently hosts a regular crew of seven in addition to the two Starliner astronauts, has adequate supplies and resources, ensuring there is no immediate risk to anyone on board. This gives engineers the necessary time to perform evaluations and address the helium leak issues, which are expected to be resolved by the end of this week.

 

Mark Nappi, vice-president and program manager of Boeing’s commercial crew program, expressed confidence that the Starliner program would be strengthened by addressing these challenges. “All this information is going to go in a big bucket, and all the engineers are going to review it and try to see if it doesn’t point to root cause or point to some additional testing that we can do in the future to eliminate this problem once and for all,” he said.

 

Boeing’s space operations are distinct from its aviation wing, yet the Starliner’s problems add to the company’s recent public relations issues, including the crashes of two 737 Max airliners and other safety-related incidents. Despite being years behind schedule and over $1.5 billion over budget, the Starliner mission, launched on June 5, aims to restore some of Boeing’s reputation and provide NASA with an alternative to SpaceX’s Dragon capsule for transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit.

 

If this test mission concludes successfully, Starliner capsules, officially known as CST-100 (crew space transportation), will conduct six additional astronaut rotation flights to the ISS as part of NASA’s commercial crew program.

 

Wilmore and Williams remain optimistic despite the delays. Speaking from the ISS, Wilmore said they are making the most of their extended stay and are not troubled by the technical issues. “This is the world of test. This is a tough business that we’re in, human spaceflight is not easy in any regime, and there have been multiple issues with every spacecraft that’s ever been designed,” he said. He emphasized their trust in the team making decisions on the ground, citing their integrity, technical expertise, and the necessity of the tests being conducted.

 

Williams echoed his sentiment, expressing confidence in the spacecraft. “I have a real good feeling in my heart that this spacecraft will bring us home, no problem,” she said.

 

 

Credit: The Guardian 2024-07-12

 

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[Kinnock]

They should have listened to the old saying .... "if it's Boeing I ain't going".

[rwill]

I hope they are getting paid overtime wages.

 

I bet they don't really feel as confident as they are saying they are. 

[parallelman]

I read yesterday, that 5 of 6 thrusters were now operational along with a back up procedure should the 6th fail. Apparently the Helium leaks need more attention.

[Skeptic7]

Outta this world OT❗🚀