NASA is facing a decision on how to bring home two astronauts, Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who were left stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to a malfunction in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The astronauts were meant to be on an eight-day mission but found themselves unable to return to Earth after the Starliner’s thrusters malfunctioned.
NASA needs to choose between using the Starliner or a spacecraft from SpaceX to bring the astronauts back. If SpaceX is chosen, the Crew-9 mission to the ISS scheduled for September 24 may proceed with only two astronauts instead of the usual four.
Boeing maintains that the Starliner can still safely bring the astronauts home despite the propulsion system issues. NASA has been in discussions with Boeing about the problem, and the company has conducted various tests on the thrusters since liftoff.
Wilmore and Williams were aware of the risks involved in the mission, with Wilmore having spent 178 days in space before this mission and Williams having 322 days under her belt. Both astronauts have handled the situation well, according to NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba.
Boeing and SpaceX were contracted by NASA in 2014 to transport astronauts to the ISS after the space shuttle program ended. SpaceX has had successful crewed missions and currently has a four-seat capsule docked at the ISS. NASA plans to make a decision by the end of the month to address the situation and bring the stranded astronauts home.
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