NASA recently confirmed a contingency plan to bring astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams home from the International Space Station early next year. This plan involves using SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission as a backup option if the astronauts are unable to leave aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
The Boeing Starliner experienced thruster failures, helium leaks, and additional delays while docking with the ISS. These issues have led to the astronauts being stuck in orbit for over two months while Boeing and NASA determine the vehicle’s safety. This comes after a successful crewed launch on June 5th following multiple delays in the Starliner program.
Boeing’s Starliner program has faced significant delays and cost overruns, with the crewed test flight originally scheduled seven years ago. SpaceX may need to step in to bring the astronauts back to Earth, adding to Boeing’s missteps this year, including a door plug exploding and a criminal fraud charge.
Tests conducted at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility revealed deformed Teflon seals as a potential cause of the Starliner’s thruster failures. NASA is expected to make a final decision on whether to use Boeing’s spacecraft to bring the astronauts back in mid-August.
Although using the Starliner is NASA’s preferred solution, the backup plan involves SpaceX sending two astronauts on a late September Crew-9 mission, allowing Williams and Wilmore to return in February next year. Boeing will reconfigure the Starliner for an uncrewed return ahead of the SpaceX launch.
NASA’s contingency plan for bringing astronauts back from the ISS highlights the challenges and setbacks faced by the Boeing Starliner program. The need for a backup option with SpaceX underscores the importance of having contingency plans in place for space missions. As NASA continues to assess the safety of the Starliner spacecraft, the decision on how to bring the astronauts back to Earth will have significant implications for the future of crewed space missions.
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