Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to be stuck at ISS till August, says NASA, Starliner repairs to take time

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been stuck at the International Space Station (ISS) for over a month and a half, far longer than their intended short stay. They arrived on June 6 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which has faced numerous technical issues and delays over the years.

Initially, their mission was supposed to last less than two weeks, but due to ongoing investigations into several thrusters that malfunctioned during the trip, their return has been indefinitely postponed.

NASA has confirmed that the astronauts will remain on the ISS until at least August, marking a significant extension of their mission.

During a recent press conference, NASA’s Commercial Crew manager, Steve Stich, emphasized that while progress is being made, the agency is not yet ready to set a firm return date. NASA plans to review the situation in the first week of August to determine the next steps.

The Starliner spacecraft was developed by Boeing as an alternative to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, aiming to provide NASA with a reliable means of transporting astronauts.

However, the Starliner program has been plagued with numerous issues, including technical setbacks, delays, and budget overruns. The recent launch faced several helium leaks, which caused multiple thrusters to shut down unexpectedly as the spacecraft approached the ISS.

Boeing has been conducting tests on spare engines at NASA’s White Sands test facility to understand the cause of the malfunction. These tests are crucial for the data reviews that will inform the next steps for the Starliner program. The mishap has intensified scrutiny of NASA’s partnership with Boeing, raising questions about the agency’s confidence in the contractor’s ability to deliver a safe and reliable spacecraft.

The situation has also led to negative public perception, with media outlets like The Atlantic highlighting the astronauts’ extended stay and referring to them as being “stranded” at the ISS. This narrative has compounded Boeing’s public relations challenges, as the company already faces significant scrutiny in its aerospace operations.

Despite reassurances from NASA and Stich that the astronauts could technically return aboard the Starliner in an emergency, the agency’s hesitation to commit to a return date has raised concerns.

A retired NASA astronaut, speaking anonymously to The Atlantic, suggested that if NASA felt comfortable with the spacecraft’s safety, the astronauts would have been sent back already.

In summary, the extended stay of Wilmore and Williams at the ISS underscores the ongoing issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. While NASA continues to work on resolving the technical problems, the delay has brought to light concerns about the reliability of the Starliner program and the future of NASA’s relationship with Boeing as a contractor.