How to bring Boeing astronauts home? NASA to decide by end of month

How to bring Boeing astronauts home? NASA to decide by end of month

Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams were originally scheduled to spend a little more than a week aboard the ISS
Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams were originally scheduled to spend a little more than a week aboard the ISS. Photo: Handout / NASA/AFP/File
Source: AFP

NASA needs to decide by the end of August whether to return two astronauts to Earth aboard Boeing's Starliner, which flew them to the International Space Station (ISS), or bring them home on a rival SpaceX craft, officials said Wednesday.

NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams blasted off for the ISS on Starliner on June 5 for what was meant to be an eight-day stay.

But their return has been delayed by thruster malfunctions that came to light during the first crewed mission to the ISS by the Boeing spacecraft.

NASA officials, at a press conference on Wednesday, said they were still analysing thruster data, but a decision on whether to use Starliner or SpaceX was looming.

"We don't have a sharp cutoff, right?" said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate. "We can juggle things and make things work if we need to extend.

Read also

SpaceX plans first manned mission over Earth's poles

"But it's getting a lot harder," Bowersox said. "We're reaching a point where that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner."

He said the two astronauts were "making the best" of their extra time aboard the ISS "but I'm sure they're eager for a decision, just like the rest of us."

Bowersox said the main issue is with the propulsion system. "Our big concern is having a successful deorbit burn," he said.

The NASA official said there have been "very honest discussions" with Boeing and the company is "100 percent behind their vehicle."

"They have confidence in their vehicle," he said.

In the event a decision is made not to use Starliner, Boeing's rival SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, could potentially launch their scheduled Crew-9 mission to the ISS on September 24 with just two astronauts rather than the usual four.

Read also

Senegal media sound alarm with news blackout

The Crew Dragon capsule would then be able to return to Earth with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025 -- in what would amount to a major embarrassment for aerospace giant Boeing.

NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba said Wilmore and Williams prepared for the mission knowing that it was a test flight and it "might not be perfect."

"Human space flight is inherently risky and as astronauts we accept that as part of the job," he said.

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.