Stranded Astronauts Face Starliner Woes, Return Window Closing
In a concerning turn of events, two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, have been stranded in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to multiple issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The astronauts were originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 13 after a week-long stay, but their return has now been extended to at least June 26.
The problems began during the 25-hour flight of Starliner's inaugural crewed mission, which launched on June 5 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Engineers discovered five separate helium leaks in the spacecraft's thruster system, which has forced NASA and Boeing to troubleshoot the issues on the ground.
"We've learned that our helium system is not performing as designed," said Mark Nappi, Boeing's Starliner program manager. "Albeit manageable, it's still not working like we designed it. So we've got to go figure that out."
Adding to the complications, the Harmony module on the ISS, where the Starliner is currently docked, has limited fuel. This means the window for a safe return flight is narrowing, as the module can only remain docked for 45 days.
The Starliner's troubled history has been well-documented, with its first uncrewed test flight in 2019 being scuppered by a software fault, and a second attempt held back by issues with a fuel valve. Even after more reviews last year, the company had to fix issues with the capsule's parachutes and remove around a mile of flammable tape.
This latest setback is a significant blow to Boeing's efforts to prove the reliability of its Starliner spacecraft, which was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to ferry astronauts to the ISS after the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011. Meanwhile, SpaceX's Crew Dragon has already completed 12 crewed flights since it began operating in 2020.
As NASA and Boeing work around the clock to assess and resolve the Starliner's issues, the clock is ticking for the stranded astronauts to make a safe return to Earth.
