Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams reached space on June 5 and were scheduled to return a few days later. However, due to problems with the engines of the Boeing Starliner that took them to the International Space Station, they have not yet been able to leave and could remain stuck in space for several more months.
NASA | Astronauts shortly before launch
They should have been back over a month ago, instead, Butch Wilmore and Sonny WilliamsThe astronauts left in early June for a crew test flight. Boeing Starliner Programand they are still stuck in International Space Station (ISS) They may have to stay there for several more months.
It was officially announced by NASA On Wednesday, August 7, explaining that in any case, even if It is impossible to use Starliner. which the astronauts left on the return trip They will be able to return home in other ways.The only downside: They’ll have to wait several more months. The most widely accepted hypothesis so far is actually to bring them back on another mission, this time through space. February 2025.
Who are the stranded astronauts?
Wilmore61 years old, and Williams58, left on June 5, becoming i The first two humans To fly on the Boeing Starliner. The mission consisted of testing the behavior of the spacecraft during a space flight. Everything had to happen in a few days, except the gods. Technical faults From Starliner they were forced to change the program.
Because Boeing Starliner astronauts aren’t stuck in space.
On the other hand, it is good to remember that in space tests like this, space agencies and astronauts themselves take into account the possibility that missions may last longer than expected. But precisely because they are aware of this possibility, they work in advance to find alternative solutions.
Problems actually appeared during the outbound flight and it was two astronauts in particular who noticed some problems when they were about to land on the ISS. Leak in the payment systemThey were still able to safely reach the station, but because of these problems, at least for now, they were saved. Starliner is not considered safe. To bring them home.
How NASA wants to bring them back to Earth
At a press conference a few days ago, NASA officials said – As reported by the BBC – They did. A point about the condition of astronautsThey explained that there are several options on the table to return them home, but they are still under evaluation. Which one might be better?“Our primary choice was to return Butch and Sonny to Starliner,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager. “However, we didn’t do that.”Whatever you need, you have other options.“
In fact, the chances that we will actually be able to reuse the Starliner to return the astronauts have diminished dramatically in recent days. Now, forMost likely hypothesis Plans for Take advantage of another task With the car SpaceX Crew Dragonwhich is due to launch in September and Return to Earth in February 2025The latter was supposed to bring four astronauts to the International Space Station, but now NASA is considering reducing the number of participants in the mission to two. Leave the other two seats to Williams and Wilmore..
anyway, The astronauts are fine. – As they said themselves at a conference last month – they have food and everything they need to survive, and earlier this week NASA sent Sapce X missile To deliver more food and clothes to the astronauts.
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