Boeing Starliner Crew May Not Return Until 2025
The two crew members of the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner capsule to the International Space Station, which lasted a week, may not return until 2025. NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been in the orbital complex since June 6. After departing from the Cape Canaveral space center in Florida, the spacecraft was only able to dock on a second attempt due to engine problems. In addition, the spacecraft suffered a helium leak.
Two Options Under Consideration
Two options are currently being discussed for astronauts returning to Earth, NASA explained in a briefing.
The first option involves the couple returning to the Starliner. However, the spacecraft would have to be repaired first.
The other option is to remove two of the four astronauts from the SpaceX Crew 9 mission, which is scheduled to launch in September. Wilmore and Williams could return to Earth with the crew in February.
The final decision on when and how the pair will return will be made after NASA completes a high-level flight readiness review, the agency said.
The Starliner is a partially reusable spacecraft consisting of a crew capsule about 3 meters high and a service module. Unlike the Crew Dragon vehicle from Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, it lands on dry land rather than in water.
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