(Rightallegiance.com) – Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, two seasoned NASA astronauts, have now been in space for 63 days, far exceeding their initial mission duration. They are piloting Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed test flight, but a return date remains elusive due to ongoing technical issues.
NASA is diligently working to understand the propulsion problems and helium leaks that affected the Starliner en route to the International Space Station (ISS). During a news conference on Wednesday, the space agency confirmed it is exploring various contingency plans, including extending the astronauts’ stay on the ISS by another six months or returning them on a SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle in 2025.
Despite plans to start a “flight readiness review” in early August, NASA has yet to begin this process for the Starliner crew’s return. Both Boeing and NASA teams are still analyzing testing data and assessing the issues that have delayed the mission.
NASA has stated that returning Wilmore and Williams on a SpaceX vehicle has always been a backup plan, though the primary objective remains to bring them back on the Starliner. Boeing continues to assert the safety of its spacecraft for astronaut travel.
Complicating matters further, NASA announced a delay in the launch of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which was set to replace the current Crew-8 on the ISS. Originally scheduled for August 18, Crew-9’s launch has been postponed to no earlier than September 24. This delay allows mission managers more time to finalize return plans for the Boeing Crew Flight Test.
The Starliner mission, which began on June 5, has encountered significant challenges, prompting NASA to carefully evaluate the next steps to ensure the astronauts’ safe return.