Boeing astronauts have had a good season while being ‘trapped’ in space

Boeing StarlinerThe second company chosen by NASA to fly astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) finally managed to complete its first manned test flight last June. It took several attempts, and even on the day it finally managed to lift off, it kept encountering errors that put the mission in jeopardy. Luckily, the two crew members, Sunita Williams and Barry WilmoreThey managed to get to the ISS safely. What they didn’t know was that they would spend much more time there than expected.

His return to Earth It was scheduled for 8 days later.. However, several helium leaks were discovered that could be dangerous. According to previous calculations, if five such leaks were discovered, Starliner could be compromised. The fifth was discovered while its crew members were on the ISS. For this reason, although calm was called for, remembering that even with a fifth escape it is possible to make a return trip, it was decided Please wait to resolve the issue.

That would extend Williams and Wilmore’s stay, first by a few days, then by a few weeks. Now it looks like it will be eight months, as problems continue to surface, before Boeing makes a decision to return Starliner to Earth without a crew. It will be Boeing rival SpaceX that provides the astronauts with the ship, but they will have to wait. until February.

Starliner returns home alone

The only problem with Starliner was not helium leaks. After the ship docked with the ISS. Five of the 28 maneuvering engines in the service module failed. 4 were fixed. However, subsequent tests did not give NASA enough confidence to risk returning the ship to Earth with a crew. The risk is very low, but all the precautions are too small.

So while Starliner is scheduled to return home in September, Williams and Wilmore will have to wait a little longer.

Saved by competitors

Boeing and SpaceX are the two companies NASA has chosen to fly astronauts to the ISS. SpaceX has already flown several Dragon CrewHowever, Starliner fell a little behind.

Now, although he has finally made his first manned flight, his return will have to be sponsored by the opposition.

Three Roscosmos astronauts and one NASA astronaut were scheduled to fly to the International Space Station in September aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Given the reluctance of the Starliner crew to return in the Boeing capsule, it was decided that the SpaceX ship would fly with only two crew members, leaving two empty seats for Williams and Wilmore to accompany them on their return.

The initial crew was to consist of Zena Cardman, Nick Haig, Stephanie Wilson and Alexander GorbunovIt is not yet known who the two will retire, although Gorbunov cannot be one of them, since NASA’s agreements with Roscosmos require that all flights be carried out by one of its cosmonauts.

The astronauts on this mission are scheduled to spend several months working on the ISS. So to compensate for the loss of two crew members, Williams and Wilmore must replace them, do their work, and wait a little longer to return home. Finally, if all goes well, in February They will fly back aboard a SpaceX capsule.

It should be noted that NASA is not giving up and hopes that Boeing will solve its problems so that it can have Starliner at the same rate as Crew Dragon. But given what we have seen, it seems like there is still a long way to go.