NASA Considers Using SpaceX Rocket to Rescue Stranded Astronauts
August 8, 2024, 10:49 AM
NASA is considering using a SpaceX rocket to bring the two stranded Boeing “Starliner” astronauts to Earth after the capsule encountered technical problems and remains stuck at the International Space Station.
Two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita William, have been stranded on the ISS for seven weeks longer than planned due to problems with the capsule’s propulsion and helium seals. While they hope to repair the “Starliner,” NASA is also exploring two other options.
One possibility is to fly the “Starliner” back to Earth without a crew, requiring significant software reconfiguration. Alternatively, NASA is working with SpaceX to potentially use their Crew-9 Dragon capsule as a backup plan. This mission was originally scheduled for August but has been delayed due to the “Starliner” issues.
If the Crew-9 mission is used for the rescue operation, it would carry only two astronauts instead of the originally planned four. Williams and Wilmore would be part of this crew and would return to Earth with their two colleagues in February 2025, extending their stay on the ISS by two months.
Currently, the two docking slots for American space capsules are occupied by the “Starliner” and a “SpaceX Crew-8” capsule. If a rescue operation is undertaken, one of these capsules would need to depart the ISS.
The “Starliner” is a partially reusable spacecraft that unlike the “Crew Dragon” from SpaceX, does not land on water but on Earth.