On August 24, 2024, NASA released a statement confirming that the agency will be returning the malfunctioning Boeing Starliner to earth without its crew, leaving two astronauts aboard the International Space Station for an extended stay. MediaFancier previously covered other issues with Starliner here. The unmanned return will allow Boeing and NASA to gather further data on the Starliner’s malfunction.
The two stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will remain aboard the ISS until SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft can bring them home in February of 2025. Preparations are currently being made to prepare the Dragon spacecraft for the extra cargo and additional passengers. The Boeing Starliner’s malfunction comes at a critical time for the company, as they face a slew of criticism about the safety of their products.
“Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” said NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate Ken Bowersox.
Sources:
NASA Decides to Bring Starliner Spacecraft Back to Earth Without Crew. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/
News, B. Nasa announces plan to return stranded astronauts from space next year. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cj087pp4e75t
News, A. (2024, August 24). NASA says Boeing's Starliner astronauts will return to Earth on different spacecraft in February. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/nasa-boeings-starliner-astronauts-return-earth-spacecraft-february/story?id=113108064
Chow, D. (2024, August 24). NASA says astronauts stuck in space will not return on Boeing capsule, will wait for SpaceX craft. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/nasa-astronauts-stuck-space-station-will-return-spacex-rcna167164
Wattles, J. (2024, August 24). SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to return Boeing Starliner crew to Earth. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/24/science/boeing-starliner-nasa-astronauts-spacex/index.html
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