Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) after engineers discovered several issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 13, the astronauts’ stay has been extended thrice with no new return date in sight.
Boeing’s Starliner successfully launched on its inaugural crewed flight from Cape Canaveral on June 5. However, during the 25-hour flight to the ISS, engineers identified five helium leaks in the thruster system.
To give engineers time to troubleshoot these faults, NASA has extended the crew’s stay on the ISS by at least three weeks. This extension aims to ensure a safe return.
Mark Nappi, Boeing’s Starliner program manager, acknowledged the issues with the helium system, stating it is not performing as designed. Engineers need to resolve these problems before the spacecraft can safely return.
After powering up the thrusters on June 15, engineers discovered that most issues appeared to be at least partially resolved, though the exact causes remain unknown. However, due to the limited fuel capacity of the Harmony module, Starliner can only stay docked for 45 days, narrowing the window for a safe return flight. Currently, 18 days have passed, with 27 days remaining.
The return module of Starliner is currently docked to the ISS’s Harmony module. Engineers are assessing the vital hardware issues, including the five helium leaks and five thruster failures in the reaction-control system.
The Starliner mission has faced years of delays before this crewed flight. The current issues have further complicated Boeing’s efforts to establish a reliable crew transportation system.
NASA and Boeing are prioritizing the safety of the astronauts. The return flight will only proceed once all faults are addressed and the spacecraft is deemed safe for re-entry.