Astronauts waiting on ride back to Earth could return on SpaceX spacecraft, NASA says
NASA is seriously considering bringing home two NASA astronauts on a SpaceX spacecraft after a series of issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Starliner docked at the space station in early June with NASA astronaut Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. The pair have no return date.
Boeing Starliner launches 2 NASA astronauts into orbit for first time
ULA's Atlas V rocket launched on Wednesday morning from Florida sending the first Boeing Starliner capsule with crew into orbit. NASA Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are conducting the crew flight test of Starliner and will spend about a week at the International Space Station.
HOUSTON – Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft may return to Earth without its astronauts as NASA management is considering a SpaceX rescue mission for NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been in orbit since June on what was supposed to be a weeklong test flight.
NASA managers said they have asked SpaceX to work on plans to bring home the two astronauts who have been in space since early June because of issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5 from Florida on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, beginning the vehicle’s first flight with astronauts known as the crew flight test (CFT). During approach and docking to the International Space Station, there were problems with Starliner’s helium leaks and propulsion system.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to board the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test launch, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
(NASA)
Two months later, the astronauts still do not know when or how they will make it back to Earth as work continues to understand the issues with Starliner. Boeing and NASA teams continue testing on Earth to try to understand the problems with the spacecraft.
BOEING STARLINER SPACECRAFT DOCKS AT ISS WITH NASA ASTRONAUTS AFTER DRAMATIC APPROACH
On Wednesday, in a call with reporters, NASA said it’s seriously considering bringing the astronauts home on a SpaceX Crew Dragon instead of the Starliner. This is a change in the space agency’s messaging about Starliner, which previously emphasized that the spacecraft was safe. However, new testing data has made some engineers "uncomfortable," NASA leaders said.
A view of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft as seen from the SpaceX Crew Dragon docked at the space station with a view of aurora lights above Earth.
(Matthew Dominick/NASA)
In July, NASA asked SpaceX to review how the company could bring home Williams and Wilmore on either the Crew Dragon spacecraft currently onboard, which brought the Crew-8 astronaut to the ISS, or the Crew-9 spacecraft launching in September.
NASA decided to delay the Crew-9 launch from Aug. 18 to Sept. 24 as it reviews the possibility of sending two astronauts instead of four. This allows two seats to remain open for Williams and Wilmore, which could mean they would remain in orbit for another six months, with a return early next year.
"It could change drastically one way or another depending on new data, but I would say that our chances of an uncrewed Starliner return have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two," NASA Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox said.
FILE: The sun sets behind a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the Crew-5 astronaut launch. (Image: SpaceX)
NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich said the agency has asked SpaceX to "lay out a plan" to bring the astronauts home.
Even with the current issues, Sitch said he sees a "bright future for Starliner."
NASA management expects to see SpaceX's full plan next week. Stich said the decision on how the astronauts return to Earth is expected by mid-August.
NASA's International Space Station Program manager, Dana Weigel, said the astronauts are prepared for either outcome.
"Butch and Suni are ready to support, and they trust the ground teams. They're ready to support whatever we need to do," Weigel said. "They are great crew members, great astronauts."
If NASA moves forward with using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to bring home the astronauts, the first step would be undocking Starliner from the ISS before Sept. 24 to clear the docking port for another spacecraft's arrival. Starliner would then land in New Mexico without the astronauts.