NASA and Boeing have confirmed that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are not stranded on the International Space Station (ISS). The two astronauts were originally supposed to return home a couple of weeks ago after completing a test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, due to malfunctioning thrusters on the spacecraft, they will remain in orbit for several more weeks while engineers investigate the issue.
The Starliner spacecraft, which is docked to the Harmony module of the ISS, is currently orbiting 262 miles above Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Despite the delay in their return, officials from both NASA and Boeing have emphasized that the astronauts are not in any danger and there is no need for a rescue mission.
During a news conference, Mark Nappi, the program manager at Boeing for Starliner, reassured the public that the astronauts are not stuck on the ISS. He explained that the crew is safe and that the plan is to return them home on the Starliner spacecraft at the appropriate time. Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s commercial crew program, echoed this sentiment and confirmed that the vehicle at the station is in good condition.
Stich mentioned that additional analysis is needed to understand why five of the Starliner’s 28 maneuvering jets malfunctioned as the spacecraft approached the ISS. Despite this issue, the spacecraft’s computers were able to compensate using the remaining thrusters. The priority now is to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure the safety of the astronauts before proceeding with their return journey.
In conclusion, while the delay in returning Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to Earth is unexpected, both NASA and Boeing are working diligently to address the technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft. The astronauts are in good spirits and are continuing their mission on the ISS while awaiting further instructions.
