#Socialites, get a load of this! Barry “Butch” E. Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Lyn Williams — the two astronauts who’ve been stuck in Space for over 80 days after embarking on what was supposed to be about an 8-day trip — are going to have to wait a little longer as they won’t be returning to Earth until about February 2025 or March 2025 — about eight months after their initial departure.
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On Saturday (August 24), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) announced during a news conference that it would use Elon Musk ’s SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to bring him the two astronauts who’ve been trapped in Space for nearly three months.
Reportedly, the aeronautics agency does not have enough confidence in getting the duo home in their troubled Boeing Starliner capsule — which launched on June 5 and was due back on June 14. However, upon their scheduled return to Earth, the astronauts experienced helium leaks and propulsion problems with the Starliner, leaving them stranded at the International Space Station.
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During the briefing on Saturday at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “Space flight is risky, even at its safest and even at its most routine. And a test flight by nature is neither safe nor routine. And so the decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring the Boeing Starliner home un-crewed is a result of a commitment to safety.”
According to NASA’s commercial crew program manager Steve Stich , “It was just too much risk for the crew.” The decision marks another blow to Boeing — who’s been dealing with several fatal aircraft incidents in recent years and previously vehemently argued that the Starliner was safe despite suffering a series of thruster issues and helium leaks as it brought Wilmore, a retired U.S. Navy Captain, and Williams, a retired U.S Navy Officer, to the International Space Station in early June.
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Boeing argued that its engineers understood the problems and that the company “remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.” However, NASA didn’t fully trust the company and opted against their word to send another capsule to rescue the two astronauts.
Once the next SpaceX Dragon mission comes to an end, the capsule will be sent to rescue the two astronauts. There will be two additional astronauts who will pilot the four-person craft scheduled for flight in February 2025. There is one more issue, however. The astronauts stuck in space currently have gear compatible with the Starliner and not the Dragon en route to rescue them, so they will need new spacesuits. Meanwhile, the autonomous Starliner will likely return to Earth in early September.
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