Two American astronauts who left for space on an eight-day mission in June have never returned to Earth and may remain stranded on the International Space Station until 2025, NASA said.
Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore could be stuck until 2025 NASA PHOTO
NASA officials said astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who became the first team to fly Boeing’s Starliner capsule, could return on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025 if the Starliner is still deemed unsafe to return to Earth. according to The Guardian.
The US space agency has discussed potential plans with SpaceX to leave two slots open in an upcoming Crew Dragon launch, which itself was delayed by a month earlier this week.
The astronauts’ June 5 test mission, originally expected to last about eight days on the station, was extended due to problems with the Starliner’s propulsion system, which raised more questions about the spacecraft’s ability to bring them safely back to Earth as planned.
A Boeing spokesman said that if NASA decides to change the Starliner mission, the company “will take the necessary steps to configure the Starliner for a return flight without crew”.
Using a SpaceX ship to return astronauts that Boeing had planned to bring back with the Starliner would be a major blow to the aerospace giant, which has struggled for years to compete with SpaceX.
Boeing said in July that after rigorous field testing, engineers identified problems with the Starliner, including sudden engine failure and helium leaks.
Recent reports have suggested, however, that there may be more conflict between NASA and Boeing behind the scenes. Some of the agency’s representatives seemed to dispute whether Starliner should bring Williams and Wilmore back.
Tests so far have shown that four of the Starliner jets failed in June because they overheated and automatically shut down, while other thrusters that restarted during the tests appeared weaker than normal due to restrictions of the propellant.
