Space Wreck
Boeing’s first crewed Starliner mission to the International Space Station has turned into a disaster. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are stuck on board indefinitely while engineers figure out what went wrong with the spacecraft.
This mishap might affect other upcoming launches to the ISS. According to insiders, NASA is considering pushing back its next Crew-9 mission from August 18 to September 24.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon mission is scheduled to carry a crew of four astronauts to the space station. If Starliner can’t return with a crew on board, NASA might send up the SpaceX spacecraft instead, making room for Williams and Wilmore’s return flight.
NASA hasn’t publicly commented yet – they’re expected to do so this week. Things look bad for Boeing’s Starliner, which had already faced years of delays, cost overruns, and technical issues before getting stuck on the station.
Port Authority
Engineers are still investigating what went wrong with the thrusters that malfunctioned during Starliner’s docking with the station two months ago. NASA is weighing some significant risks if they decide to return the stranded astronauts without them being safely back in their spacecraft.
Meanwhile, Boeing claims it’s making progress by collecting data throughout its first crewed flight test.
“Boeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with a crew,” the company said. “We continue to support NASA’s requests for additional testing, data, analysis, and reviews to affirm the spacecraft’st safe undocking and landing capabilities.”
More on Starliner: It’ s Sounding Like Boeing’s Starliner May Have Completely Failed
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