NASA Astronauts to Stay Longer at ISS for Boeing Capsule Repairs
This NASA photo shows the Starliner spacecraft docked to the Harmony module of the ISS, orbiting 262 miles above Egypt’s Mediterranean coast on June 13, 2024. (NASA via AP)
Two NASA astronauts will extend their stay at the International Space Station as engineers address issues with Boeing’s new space capsule encountered during the journey.
NASA announced Friday that the astronauts’ return date remains undetermined until ground testing concludes, assuring their safety.
“We’re not in any rush to come home,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager.
NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule on June 5, marking Boeing’s first astronaut mission after numerous delays.
The mission was supposed to last about a week, allowing Wilmore and Williams to evaluate the capsule while docked. However, propulsion system issues led to delays. NASA and Boeing also sought to avoid conflicting with planned spacewalks, one of which was canceled due to a spacesuit water leak. The subsequent spacewalk has been postponed.
During Starliner’s approach to the station, last-minute thruster failures nearly prevented docking. Five of the 28 thrusters malfunctioned, with all but one restored. Additionally, helium leaks occurred during the mission, used to pressurize the thrusters’ fuel. Boeing stated these issues wouldn’t affect the return trip.
NASA and Boeing delayed the astronauts’ return to gather more information about the thruster and helium leak problems. These issues are located in the service module, which burns up during reentry.
Originally, the Starliner was slated to stay docked for up to 45 days due to battery constraints, but tests indicate this limit can be extended, Stich said.
Ground tests on the capsule’s thrusters in the New Mexico desert, expected to take a few weeks, will replicate the docking situation to better understand the issues.
“I want to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space,” Stich emphasized, noting Starliner is capable of missions lasting up to 210 days.
Stich added that in an emergency, the astronauts could return to Earth in Starliner.
Since the space shuttle program’s retirement, NASA has relied on private companies for astronaut transport. SpaceX has completed nine missions for NASA since 2020, and NASA plans to alternate between SpaceX and Boeing for crew transfers.