Topline
A pair of astronauts that have been on the International Space Station for eight weeks longer than originally anticipated may be stuck in space until 2025 under one contingency option being explored by NASA, the agency said Wednesday, while analysis of the troubled Starliner spacecraft that got them there continues.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams before boarding the Starliner to the International Space Station on … [+]
Key Facts
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore took off from Florida on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft on June 5 and landed on the International Space station the next day, where a scheduled mission was expected to last between eight and 10 days.
Sixty-two days later, they’re still onboard the ISS, and NASA has said they’re exploring backup options to get the astronauts home as issues with the Starliner persist.
One option, multiple outlets reported Wednesday, would involve Williams and Wilmore remaining on the ISS for another six months before returning on a SpaceX vehicle in 2025.
That plan would require substantial changes to SpaceX’s upcoming Crew Dragon mission—instead of sending a four person crew to space as planned, the mission would send two astronauts, have Williams and Wilmore join the mission and work on the ISS for another six months, and then have the entire crew return in February.
NASA is still also considering using the Starliner (which Boeing maintains is still safe) to bring Williams and Wilmore back.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.
Crucial Quote
“We could take either path,” Ken Bowersox of NASA said Wednesday. “And reasonable people could pick either path.”
What To Watch For
When the Crew Dragon launch will take place. The launch, originally scheduled for Aug. 18, has been pushed to at least Sept. 24 to give NASA officials more time to consider how to handle the Starliner crew.
Key Background
Wilmore, mission commander, and Williams, a pilot, were the first astronauts to launch into space aboard a Boeing spacecraft. The Starliner is a reusable space capsule meant to be used for up to 10 missions with a usual capacity of four and a max capacity of seven. The first unmanned flight of the Starliner took place in 2019 and another was ordered after the craft wasn’t able to dock with the International Space Station. The second orbital flight test took Boeing two years to complete, and it was another two years before the crewed mission took off in June. Boeing is thought to have lost about $1.6 billion on the program so far. As of now, the Starliner has not been cleared to return to Earth with people aboard until issues with the thrusters are addressed, though Boeing says it “remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.”
Further Reading
Mary Roeloffs is a Forbes reporter who covers breaking news with a frequent focus on the entertainment industry, streaming, sports news, publishing, pop culture and climate change. She joined Forbes in 2023 and lives in Dallas. She’s covered Netflix’s hottest documentaries, a surge of assaults reported on social media, the most popular books of the year and how climate change stands to impact the way we eat. Roeloffs was included on Editor & Publisher Magazine’s “ 25 Under 30” list in 2023 and worked covering local news in the greater Boston area from 2017 to 2023. She graduated with a double major in political science and journalism from Northeastern University. Follow Roeloffs for continued coverage of streaming wars, pop culture news and trending topics.
“>
