The decision was made due to thruster malfunctions on the Boeing spacecraft which delayed the astronauts’ return. Nasa administrator Bill Nelson claims that this move prioritizes safety, with the Starliner set to return uncrewed in early September.
Meanwhile, The SpaceX Crew-9 mission, launching in late September, will carry additional cargo, personal effects, and Dragon-specific spacesuits for the stranded astronauts while taking only two passengers instead of the planned four.This mission will dock once the Starliner departs, freeing a port on the ISS.
The two astronauts Williams and Wilmore initially planned to return after eight days in orbit. However, due to malfunctions, their stay has been extended to a total of eight months. After years of delays, Starliner launched on June 5, carrying the two astronauts to the ISS. However, a day later, as Starliner neared the space station, helium leaks and issues with five of the twenty eight thrusters were identified. Intense efforts to diagnose and fix these problems led to Nasa postponing the astronauts’ return indefinitely.
“Space flight is risky even at its safest and even at its most routine,” said Nelson, quoted by AFP. “A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine.”
He further said, “The decision to keep the astronauts on the ISS and return the Starliner uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety. Our core value is safety.”
The new approach of taking SpaceX’s aid allows Nasa and Boeing to gather more data on Starliner during its return flight while minimizing risk to the crew. ” NASA will return @BoeingSpace’s #Starliner to Earth without @NASA_Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard the spacecraft. The uncrewed return allows NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on Starliner during its upcoming flight home, while also not accepting more risk than necessary for its crew. Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025. They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency’s SpaceX #Crew9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the @Space_Station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September,” according to Nasa Commericial crew’s statement on X (formerly Twitter).
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell echoed this sentiment in a social media post, keeping the focus on safety. “SpaceX stands ready to support @NASA however we can,” she said quoting the Nasa post on X revealing the details of the SpaceX mission.
This development is another challenge for Boeing, a company already facing scrutiny over safety and quality concerns in its airplane division. Despite this setback, Nasa has reiterated its trust in Boeing and aims to continue collaboration to maintain two capable vehicles for ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS. “I am 100 percent sure Boeing will launch Starliner again with a crew on board, said Nelson
The primary concern was Starliner’s potential lack of propulsive power needed for a safe descent to Earth. Nasa officials met with Nelson and concluded that the safest option was to return the astronauts on a SpaceX vehicle scheduled for February.
“It was just too much risk with the crew,” said senior Nasa official Steve Stich. Norm Knight, another Nasa official, added, “The astronauts support the agency’s decision fully.” However, officials affirm that the astronauts have sufficient supplies on the ISS and are trained for extended stays. However, the new plan reallocates resources and efforts to ensure their safe return.
