Two NASA astronauts facing the possibility of being stranded in space until 2025 | Science & Technology Update
Two NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for over two months may have to remain until February 2025 due to concerns about the safety of the spacecraft that brought them into orbit.
Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams arrived at the ISS in June as part of the first crew to test Boeing’s new Starliner.
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The US astronauts were initially scheduled to return by now, but issues with the capsule, including thruster failures before docking, have led to their mission being extended indefinitely.
If NASA opts for a SpaceX flight instead of using the Starliner capsule, the astronauts may have to remain until February, observing the Starliner return to Earth without them from the ISS.
NASA’s space operations mission chief Ken Bowersox mentioned that a decision is expected by mid-August, potentially affecting NASA’s upcoming SpaceX taxi flight in September.
Boeing has assured that its capsule can safely bring the astronauts back, but modifications to the Starliner’s software may be necessary for an unmanned return.
SpaceX, which flew its first NASA crew to the ISS in 2020, is preparing for its 10th crew flight, delayed until late September to address issues related to Starliner’s return.
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