Astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have been stuck in space for over 80 days, and according to reports, they will remain there for the rest of the year. It could be longer, but NASA has partnered with SpaceX to make the process faster.
NASA concluded that after weighing the safety of the vehicles available, the astronauts could be back home as early as February 2025 with help from the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. It announced the partnership with SpaceX on Saturday, August 24.
Why Are the Astronauts Stranded?
Astronauts Williams, 58, and Wilmore, 61, were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida’s Space Coast by a Starliner vehicle that experienced helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters during their trip into space.
At first, the mechanical issues did not seem like a cause for concern, and Boeing was confident that they wouldn’t affect the astronauts’ timely return home. However, NASA revealed days later that the aircraft was potentially unsafe for their trip back to Earth, prompting brainstorming on an organizational level.
ALSO READ: Arizona Man Chris Zwierzynski Survives a 700-Foot Fall on Oregon’s Mount Hood
“We have had mistakes done in the past: We lost two space shuttles as a result of there not being a culture in which information could come forward,” NASA administrator Bill Nelson said at a news conference.
“Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and even at its most routine. And a test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine,” he added.
Boeing, meanwhile, has assured that it will continue to focus on the safety of its crew and aircraft. “We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return,” it said.
The Astronauts Remain Confident
Despite the Starliner’s technical issues in July, astronauts Williams and Wilmore barely showed negativity while discussing spending time on the ISS. Williams expressed confidence in NASA. She said she has “a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem.”
Wilmore also shares this sentiment. “That mantra you’ve heard, failure is not an option. And that’s why we’re staying here now,” he said. While authorities work to get them to safety, the astronauts have displayed professional maturity by remaining calm about the situation.
Williams even confessed that they are making the most of the problem and trying not to return home without any data. In the meantime, the pair are having fun in space, floating around. It is not their first time out there, and Williams described returning there as “coming home.”
It Is the Boeing Spacecraft’s First Crewed Flight
The flight that took astronauts Williams and Wilmore to space was a Boeing spacecraft named the Starliner. It was the first crewed flight of the Starliner and, according to NASA, the sixth inaugural journey of a crewed spacecraft in U.S. history.
“It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said after the successful takeoff.
The launch was delayed twice before. The first time was on Monday, May 6, when the astronauts were strapped into the spacecraft. They were hours away from launch when the test flight was canceled because of an issue with the Atlas V rocket, which helps propel the vehicle.
As they worked to address the problem, NASA reported the discovery of a helium leak in the Starliner capsule’s propulsion system. There was another delay on Saturday, June 1, when the spacecraft was less than four minutes away from liftoff because the ground launch sequencer — the computer that launches the rocket — triggered an automatic hold.
The Starliner was scheduled to return to Earth and land at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range on June 14. However, due to the issues it developed, the earliest the astronauts stuck in space can return is February 2025.
This is more bad news for Boeing as it comes amid several serious incidents involving its airplanes that have questioned its safety measures.
What We Know About the Astronauts
The astronauts stranded on the starliner are Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore. The pair are veteran Navy test pilots with four earlier space flights, 11 spacewalks, and a combined 500 hours of orbit between them.
ALSO READ: Woman Jumps New Jersey Zoo Fence, Puts Herself and Tiger at Risk
They had been training and quarantining in Houston in hopes of getting an opportunity to return to space. Wilmore is known for his numerous accomplishments, such as serving as a pilot aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009.
According to his NASA biography, the Tennessee native is also a proud family man, married with two beautiful daughters. Williams, 58, joined NASA in 1998. She ranks second in total cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut, with 50 hours and 40 minutes.
You Might Also Like:
Usher Is Back in Action After Postponing His Tour Due to a Neck Injury
2,492-carat Diamond, the Biggest in Over a Century, Unearthed in Botswana
Kerry Washington Joined by “Scandal” Co-Star Tony Goldwyn at the DNC To Support Kamala Harris
Michelle Obama Applauds Tim Walz’s Son Gus After Viral DNC Moment
Central Park 5 Members Reunite at DNC To Support Kamala Harris
