NASA astronauts may extend ISS stay due to Starliner capsule problems

NASA astronauts Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams, who have been stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) since June, may be forced to extend their stay until February 2025 due to security concerns surrounding their return spacecraft. . The duo, the first crew to test Boeing's new Starliner, were expected to return to Earth by now. However, problems with the capsule, including thruster failures, have indefinitely prolonged its mission.

NASA is now considering bringing them back on a SpaceX flight instead of using the troubled Starliner capsule. This would involve the astronauts watching from the ISS as the Starliner detaches and returns to Earth without them. NASA's chief of mission for space operations, Ken Bowersox, revealed that the agency is seriously considering SpaceX as a contingency plan.

This situation could potentially affect NASA's next SpaceX taxi flight scheduled for September. Two of the astronauts originally scheduled for this mission may have to be left behind to accommodate Wilmore and Williams on the return trip in February. The identities of the astronauts who may be affected are currently unknown.

Boeing, however, maintains that its capsule can safely return astronauts to Earth, although modifications to the Starliner's software will be necessary for an unmanned return. Steve Stich, NASA's commercial crew manager, stated that the idea of ​​launching a separate SpaceX flight just for the return of Wilmore and Williams had not been seriously considered.

Engineers are still puzzled about the cause of the thruster problems, which have also occurred during ground tests. Seals, which expand when overheated and then shrink back to their original size, are suspected to be the problem. All but one of the Starliner's five failed thrusters have been reactivated in orbit. Technicians are also addressing helium leaks in the Starliner's propulsion system, which is essential for maneuvering.

SpaceX first transported a NASA crew to the ISS in 2020, nine years after it was hired following the conclusion of the space shuttle program. The crew's next flight, which will be SpaceX's 10th for NASA, has been delayed until the end of September to allow additional time for decisions on how to manage Starliner's return.