LISTEN LIVE: NASA still deciding whether 2 Starliner astronauts will stay at ISS until 2025
PBS NewsHourAUG 20 2024
NASA expects to make a final decision before the end of next week on whether Boeing's Starliner capsule can bring astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams back to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).
Ken Bowersox, the associate administrator for NASA's space operations mission directorate, said Wednesday that NASA has "time available" to bring Wilmore and Williams home and wants to "use that time wisely."
Wilmore and Williams, who took off on Starliner's first crewed flight on June 5 for an eight-day stay at ISS, have been stranded there for over two months after Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned.
NASA faces a serious crisis with the Boeing Starliner, a spacecraft plagued by numerous malfunctions. Combined with SpaceX's recent Falcon 9 failures, it has badly dented NASA's reputation. With limited alternatives and no quick fixes, NASA must navigate a precarious situation that could jeopardize its long-term access to low Earth orbit.
The NASA Starliner crisis isn't as dire as it's made out to be. The astronauts are safe aboard the ISS, with ample supplies and work to do. NASA has backup plans, including using SpaceX's Dragon for their return if necessary. While Starliner's issues are concerning, NASA's dual-provider strategy ensures that missions can continue despite setbacks.