Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for over two months. Initially planned for an eight-day mission, their return was scheduled for June 14 but has been indefinitely delayed due to a malfunction in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
Credit : NASA
Rudy Ridolfi, a former Space System Commander, outlined three dangerous scenarios if NASA chooses to use the faulty Starliner for the astronauts' return. These scenarios highlight the risks associated with the spacecraft's current issues.
A too-steep reentry angle could cause the Starliner’s heat shield to fail due to increased friction, potentially leading to the capsule burning up in the atmosphere. This scenario poses a severe risk of the astronauts being vaporized during reentry.
Credit : NASA
If the reentry angle is too shallow, the capsule could bounce off Earth's atmosphere and be thrown back into space. This would leave the astronauts stranded in orbit, requiring an urgent retrieval mission by NASA.
Credit : NASA
With several thrusters already non-functional, there is a risk of further failures during the return. In this scenario, the astronauts could be left floating in space with only 96 hours of oxygen and power, making it a race against time to fix the issue or risk a fatal outcome.
The Boeing Starliner, launched on June 5, encountered a critical issue with its thrusters, which are essential for propelling the spacecraft back to Earth. This glitch has left the astronauts stuck on the ISS, awaiting a safe return solution.
NASA is considering using SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to bring the astronauts back, but this option would further delay their return until February 2025. The uncertainty has led to widespread speculation and concerns about the astronauts' well-being aboard the ISS.
Credit : NASA
Ridolfi suggested that NASA should consider a rescue mission using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule as a safer alternative to the faulty Starliner. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing the astronauts' safety and thoroughly evaluating all risks before proceeding.
Credit : NASA