"NASA Astronauts Stuck in Space as Starliner Spacecraft Faces Problems"
- BOOBASHKUMAR S
- Jun 29, 2024
- 1 min read
Indian American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore are currently stuck aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that was supposed to bring them back to Earth[1][2][3][4].
On June 28th, a defunct Russian satellite broke into over 100 pieces near the ISS, forcing the astronauts to take shelter in the Starliner as a precaution[1]. This incident occurred while NASA and Boeing are still assessing the Starliner's readiness for the return trip, which has already been postponed twice from the original June 14 date[2][3].
The Starliner has been plagued by multiple problems, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters, since its launch on June 5[2][3][4]. NASA and Boeing were aware of a helium leak before launch but deemed it minor, only for the spacecraft to develop four more leaks once in orbit, rendering one thruster unusable[2][4].
While Williams and Wilmore are safe inside the well-stocked ISS, the Starliner itself can only remain docked for up to 45 days due to the limited fuel capacity of the docking module[2][4]. Beyond that, they may need to return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon or Russian Soyuz spacecraft[2][4].
NASA and Boeing are taking their time to thoroughly assess the Starliner's issues before setting a new return date, currently targeted for July 2 at the earliest[2][3][4]. The astronauts are not in immediate danger but the delays have raised concerns about the spacecraft's ability to complete the six-hour return trip safely[2][4].
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