Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are not “stuck” in space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reiterated in a statement this week.
“Butch and Suni are safe aboard the space station working alongside the Expedition 71 crew. They also have been actively involved in Starliner testing and technical meetings. Butch and Suni could return home aboard Starliner if an emergency arises…” NASA said on Tuesday.
The two NASA astronauts launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5 and reached the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6.
The return of the Starliner and the two astronauts has now been delayed by months due to faults in the spacecraft. NASA explained, “During Starliner’s flight to the space station, some of the spacecraft’s thrusters did not perform as expected, and several leaks in Starliner’s helium system were observed.”
The officials in space and on the ground are conducting studies and research to examine the root cause of the defaults in the Boeing spacecraft and “to learn about the spacecraft”. The US space agency said, “NASA is using the extra time to understand the spacecraft’s technical issues before deciding on a return plan.”
For how long could Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore stay at ISS?
Answering one of the questions in an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), NASA said Butch and Sunita would remain aboard the ISS until late-February 2025 if the space agency decides to return Starliner uncrewed.
In that particular case, “NASA would replan the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission by launching only two crew members instead of four in late September. Butch and Suni would then return to Earth after the regularly scheduled Crew-9 increment early next year’, NASA said.
However, no decisions have been made yet on whether Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return on Starliner or SPaceX spacecraft. “Butch and Suni may return home aboard Starliner, or they could come back as part of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission early next year,” the statement added.
NASA further informed that a typical stay aboard the International Space Station is about six months. It added that NASA astronauts have also remained on the space station for longer-duration missions.
Are Sunita and Butch prepared for a longer stay on ISS?
NASA said Butch and Sunita have previously completed two long-duration stays aboard the ISS. “NASA astronauts embark on missions fully aware of the various scenarios that may become reality. This mission is no different, and they understood the possibilities and unknowns of this test flight, including being aboard the station longer than planned,” NASA said.
NASA is expected to make a decision on Starliner’s return by AUgust end. “We’re reaching a point where that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner,” Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, said earlier.