Two NASA astronauts who have been stuck in space for months longer than planned will finally make their way back to Earth. But there's a catch. They will return, not on the spacecraft that brought them up, but on a SpaceX mission.
What Exactly Happened?
Boeing and SpaceX were both awarded billion-dollar contracts by NASA to provide commercial space flights for its astronauts. Boeing's contract was worth a cool $4.2 billion, while SpaceX secured $2.6 billion. The plan— two reliable options for getting astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, the stranded NASA astronauts, embarked on what was supposed to be an eight-day mission to the ISS on June 5, 2024. Little did they know that their short trip would turn into an eight-month reboot of Interstellar. The reason? Technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which was meant to be their ride home.
The Starliner, making its first crewed flight, encountered a series of problems that raised eyebrows at NASA. From helium leaks to malfunctioning control thrusters, the issues were enough to make mission control reconsider the astronauts' return vehicle.
According to reports by the Associated Press, four of the failed control thrusters have now been reactivated in orbit. Boeing also confirmed upon "extensive testing" that "27 of 28 RCS [reaction control system] thrusters are healthy and back to full operational capability." It added that the ‘‘Starliner’s propulsion system also maintains redundancy and the helium levels remain stable.”
Despite this, NASA is refusing to take any risks. The government agency has decided that the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which originally brought the astronauts to the ISS, will return to Earth uncrewed.
According to Steve Stich, program manager for Nasa’s commercial crew program, “The bottom line relative to bringing Starliner back is … there was just too much uncertainty in the prediction of the thrusters.’’
“If we had a model, if we had a way to accurately predict what the thrusters would do for the undock and all the way through the de-orbit burn and through the separation sequence, I think we would have taken a different course of action, but when we looked at the data and looked at the potential for thruster failures with a crew on board … it was just too much risk with the crew,” he concluded.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also didn't mince words when discussing the situation. "Space flight is a risk, even at its safest and even at its most routine, and a test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine," he said. "Our core value is safety and it is our north star."
After months of analysis and deliberation, NASA will turn to Elon Musk's SpaceX which has completed nine crewed flights for NASA. SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft now has the task to bring Wilmore and Williams back to earth in February 2025.
What's Up With the Astronauts Though?
Wilmore and Williams are making the most of their extended stay on the ISS. The veteran NASA astronauts are no strangers to long-duration space missions, having completed two such stays before. They're keeping busy with scientific experiments, space maintenance, and possibly even some spacewalks.
According to Dana Weigel, manager of Nasa’s ISS program, Williams and Wilmore will “execute the SpaceX 31 research and cargo mission,” referring to the commercial resupply service mission to the ISS.
“We may have a couple space walks for them towards the end of their expedition. Since they’ve been up there, they’ve been a welcome set of helping hands.” she added.
What About the Starliner?
Well, it's not game over for Boeing's spacecraft. The plan is for Starliner to return to Earth un-crewed while engineers continue to work on resolving its issues. Boeing remains focused on "the safety of the crew and spacecraft," according to their statement.
NASA associate administrator Jim Free also believes that there are no trust issues with Boeing despite the situation.
Meanwhile, the plan for Wilmore and Williams' return involves some creative scheduling. SpaceX's next crewed mission, originally set to carry four astronauts, will now launch with just two. This leaves room for both astronauts to return to Earth when that mission finally concludes in February next year.