NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore took off for the International Space Station on June 5 — a mission that was supposed to last eight days in space before returning back to earth. They are now staring at an eight month long stay in space, with possible return in 2025 — missing summer, Christmas and New Year celebrations with family and friends, as per a BBC report.
The astronuats, 58-year-old Williams and 61-year-old Wilmore, left aboard a Boeing Starliner spacecraft, that detected problems before the return journey and has kept the duo in limbo aboard the ISS till NASA finds a solution.
NASA officials at a press briefing on August 7 said that “no firm decision” has been made on the next course of action, BBC reported. Speaking to the media, Steve Stich, manager of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program said, “Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.”
One such “option” being considered is attaching Williams and Wilmore to a SpaceX Crew Dragon mission that will return to earth in February 2025, as per the report.
The Crew-9 mission is scheduled to leave for space on August 18 and will carry four astronauts to the ISS. If NASA plans to have to stuck duo return this way, the mission would be altered to only carry two astronauts from earth. The Starliner spacecraft itself, would then be guided back to earth unmanned, by computers, it said.
But, overall this would mean that Williams and Wilmore would have spent over eight months in space — a far, far, longer time that the original eight-day trip they were expected to do.
NASA officials expect to make a “final” decision within a week or more, BBC report said.
“Chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two. That's why we're looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it,” Ken Bowersox, Nasa's director of space operations told reporters on August 7.
The astronauts resorting to a SpaceX craft for their return would be a “blow” to Boeing, the report noted, adding that the airline maker was hoping to have a successful run with the Starliner and secure regular missions for its capsules.
Boeing has competed with SpaceX's Crew Dragon for years, which has been approved for NASA missions since 2020.
Notable, a SpaceX rocket also delievered extra meals, clothes and supplies to the ISS earlier this week, as Williams and Wilmore remain aboard for longer.
