On 6 June, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams flew up to the International Space Station (ISS) on Boeing’s space capsule – the Starliner. They were supposed to stay in orbit 7-8 days to test the Starliner’s performance on a crewed mission. Now, over two months later, they are still on the ISS with no prospects of coming back home any time soon.
1. Background
Years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget, the Starliner’s first crewed mission was far from a smooth ride. Three helium leaks were discovered after the capsule reached orbit. While one of them was already known before take-off and was considered within acceptable risk, before starting their “sleep period” at night, Wilmore and Williams were notified they had to close off two helium valves to prevent further leaking. Five thruster issues were also still present on the craft.
The Starliner was funded by NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme. Both NASA and Boeing have been running tests since June to try and recreate the issue with the thrusters and simulate a safe return of the astronauts. In July on-ground testing, they discovered that the combination of repeatedly firing the thrusters with the orbital manoeuvring and control system (OMAC) lead to the overheating of the thrusters which, in turn, lead to losing some of their Teflon insulation. The two said the issue couldn’t have been detected before launch.
2. Bringing the astronauts home
Boeing is now insisting its capsule is 100% ready for bringing the crew back, however, NASA stands firm on needing more assurances. While they have admitted the Starliner could be used as an emergency escape vehicle if something happens on the ISS, they are not willing to put Wilmore and Williams at higher risk than strictly necessary.
Although, fortunately, in this day and age, enough supplies can be provided to the ISS to support all its temporary residents, not having even an indication of when the two could return home is becoming a pressing matter. “It’s getting a lot harder. We’re reaching a point where [by] that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner”, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA’s space operations mission directorate, said at a press conference on 14 August.
In late July, NASA stated it was not yet seriously considering an alternative vehicle for the flight home, however, the possibility of bringing the astronauts back down to Earth on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship is a lot better formed now. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is part of the same program, but, as the billionaire pointed out in May, the Crew Dragon was ready 4 years ahead of Boeing’s capsule, and has since successfully concluded 8 crewed missions for NASA and another 3 for Axiom Space.
At this moment, there are two options: either trust the Starliner for the return journey or bring it back down to Earth without a crew. In the latter scenario, the astronauts will return on the Crew Dragon, which would only take two people to space instead of four to leave space for Wilmore and Williams to return. However, SpaceX Crew-9 mission will only launch in late September, with a tentative date set for Tuesday the 24th. The crew will need to complete its own mission aboard the ISS, with a return flight foreseen in February 2025. This means Wilmore and Williams will have stayed in space 8 months instead of 8 days.
“While work continues on Earth to analyse the Starliner spacecraft and its systems, Wilmore and Williams continued their work aboard the International Space Station”, NASA said in a statement. “Butch and Suni are well engaged on the space station. It’s great to be there, enjoying the environment, eating that great space food and being able to look out the window. So I know they’re making the best of this time, but I’m sure they’re eager for a decision just like the rest of us”, Bowersox also ensured at the press conference.
VIDEO: A pair of US astronauts stranded on the International Space Station say they're confident that the problem-plagued Boeing Starliner they rode up on would soon bring them home, even as significant uncertainties remain. pic.twitter.com/ToNiAu0DrM
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 12, 2024
While no official decision has been made, it seems NASA seems to grow increasingly wary of its corporate partner. Asked at the press briefing if returning the astronauts home on a different ship would be a failure, Bowersox said that, in the eventuality they need to “intervene and make the call to change the mission (…) we don’t need to consider that a Nasa mishap.”
The Starliner is just adding to Boeing’s growing list of quality issues. The company’s best-known sector, aircraft manufacturing, has been taking a serious hit this year, with the coming to light of bypassed quality controls and frauds that have led to deadly aviation accidents. With its space division now also in shambles, the issues seem to have nothing to do with individual sectors, but with the entire corporation.
