NASA is weighing the option of keeping astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the International Space Station (ISS) until February due to technical issues encountered by Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The astronauts, who arrived at the ISS on June 6, were initially scheduled for a brief stay but have been stranded for over two months.
Evaluating return options
On Wednesday, NASA announced that it is still assessing various methods to safely bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. While the primary plan is to use the Starliner capsule, NASA officials, including Steve Stich, manager of the Commercial Crew Program, have acknowledged that they may need to utilize a SpaceX capsule instead. “Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner,” Stich said during a news briefing. “However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open, and so we have been working with SpaceX to ensure that they’re ready to respond.”
The mission was designed as the final step before NASA could certify Boeing to conduct regular crewed flights to and from the ISS. However, issues with five of Starliner’s thrusters and a helium leak in its propulsion system have complicated the mission. The problems emerged as Starliner was approaching the ISS in June, causing delays in the docking process. Despite attempts by engineers on the ground to troubleshoot these issues, the astronauts remain in orbit.
No timeline yet for return
NASA has not provided a specific timeline for when the astronauts might return if they travel back on Boeing’s capsule. Stich mentioned that a decision needs to be made by mid-August. Meanwhile, the launch of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, initially scheduled to send four new crew members to the ISS later this month, has been postponed. This delay allows NASA and Boeing more time to resolve the Starliner issues.
The SpaceX mission, known as Crew-9, has been delayed by about a month. NASA officials indicated they might modify the mission plan to send two crew members to the ISS instead of four and use the capsule to bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth.
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, acknowledged that there have been internal disagreements on the safest way to return the astronauts. “I have to admit that sometimes when we get disagreement, it’s not fun,” Bowersox said. “It can be painful having those discussions, but it’s what makes us a good organization, and it’s what will get us to a good decision as we approach that point here in the future. And I don’t think we’re too far away from making that call.”
Contingency plans
If Wilmore and Williams are to return on a different vehicle, mission managers could adjust the Starliner software and have it undock from the ISS and return to Earth without a crew. Boeing, although not present at the briefing, stated its continued belief in Starliner’s capabilities. “If NASA decides to change the mission, we will take the actions necessary to configure Starliner for an uncrewed return,” a Boeing representative said.
Ongoing testing and investigations
Engineers from NASA and Boeing have been replicating conditions in orbit on a test engine at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. They also conducted two “hot fire tests” in space, firing the capsule’s thrusters in short bursts while it remained docked at the ISS. Stich revealed that a tiny Teflon seal appears to swell under high temperatures and might be causing thruster blockages. Further testing is required to fully understand the problem and why it wasn’t detected during previous tests.
The Starliner issues have been a setback for Boeing, particularly as the program was already behind schedule and over budget. Both Boeing and SpaceX developed their space capsules as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which supports private companies in building new space vehicles for low-Earth orbit missions. SpaceX has been successfully transporting astronauts to the ISS since 2020.