The two NASA astronauts who reached the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Boeing Starliner earlier this month will continue to extend their stay in orbit well into July as engineers continue to troubleshoot problems with the new space capsule.
In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, center, pose with Expedition 71 Flight Engineers Mike Barratt, left, and Tracy Dyson, both NASA astronauts, in their spacesuits… In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, center, pose with Expedition 71 Flight Engineers Mike Barratt, left, and Tracy Dyson, both NASA astronauts, in their spacesuits aboard the International Space Station’s Quest airlock on June 24, 2024.
NASA via AP
Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams will remain on the ISS as Boeing and NASA engineers work to fix a series of helium leaks on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that ferried them into space on its first crewed voyage on June 5.
The astronauts were originally expected to spend about a week in orbit to test the spacecraft.
According to NASA’s commercial crew program manager Steve Stich, the agency and Boeing have delayed the return to Earth several times to thoroughly analyze and address the problems.
“We’re not in any rush to come home,” Stich said Friday, emphasizing the importance of resolving the issues before attempting reentry. According to Boeing and NASA, the Starliner can spend up to 45 days docked to the space station without issue.
Initially planned to return by June 13, the astronauts’ stay has been extended multiple times. The current target for their return is now no sooner than late July.
The space agency said on Tuesday that Wilmore and Williams are not “stranded” as they could undock and fly home at any time if deemed necessary. They are being kept in orbit passed their planned return to “allow mission teams time to review propulsion system data.”
The issues with Starliner are the latest engineering problems to hit Boeing, which is trying to join SpaceX as one of two commercial companies approved to ferry astronauts and cargo to the ISS.
Boeing’s spacecraft, which has been years in the making, has faced multiple issues and delays, causing it to fall behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX — currently the only option for American astronauts since the end of the Shuttle program more than a decade ago.
It took three attempts for the Starliner’s first crewed mission to launch. The project, intended to provide a second option for astronauts and cargo to reach orbit in addition to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon program, had been sidelined by delays and engineering issues for years.
Boeing is also facing a torrent of criticism over manufacturing problems with its jetliners, which came to a head in January after a panel blew off an Alaska Air 737 midflight.
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