Marooned in the Stars: NASA Astronauts Face Being Stranded in Space Until 2025 — After Blasting Off For 8-DAY Mission!
Two NASA astronauts are stuck in space after experiencing mechanical issues on their Boeing spacecraft.
Aug. 8 2024, Published 7:23 p.m. ET
What began as an eight-day mission now has no definite end in sight.
Two NASA astronauts have been stuck in space as the Boeing Starliner space craft they’re traveling on experienced mechanical issues while approaching the International Space Station (ISS).
Now, NASA is scrambling to figure out a way to bring them home, with one potential course of action being a February 2025 return date, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sun Williams’ left for an eight-day mission in June on the Boeing Starliner.
Boeing’s first time launching astronauts into space hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.
Astronauts Butch Wimore, 61, and Suni Williams, 58, departed Earth on what was supposed to be an eight-day mission in June. They’ve now hit the two-month mark in space.
Prior to launch, Wilmore and Williams’ Starliner experienced a leak in propulsion-related plumbing. Both NASA and Boeing determined the leak was isolated and the launch moved forward as scheduled.
The two-man crew experienced mechanical issues as they approached the ISS.
As Wilmore and Williams’ craft approached the ISS, the Starliner experienced four more links – and five thrusters failed. The pair managed to successfully dock at the ISS.
After a series of thrust test-firings on the ground and in space, engineers have yet to determine a cause for the malfunction.
With the crew’s safety on the line, NASA is exploring other means to bring the astronauts home on a separate craft.
Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program said: “Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.”
One possibility is on the return of the SpaceX Dragon craft, which is currently docked at the ISS. The only hitch? The mission would delay their return to early 2025.
NASA has considered SpaceX’s Dragon as a possible return option for Wilmore and Williams.
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Like the Starliner, SpaceX’s Dragon is designed to carry four astronauts. On Wednesday, NASA announced two spots on the craft could be reserved for Wilmore and Williams on next month’s launch. If this ends up being the case, the astronauts will not return home on the Dragon until February 2025.
Should NASA opt to use the Dragon, the Starliner would return to Earth without a crew.
Ken Bowersox, director of NASA’s space operations said the probability of an unmanned Starliner return “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two. That's why we're looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it.”
While the state of the situation is jarring, NASA insisted that the astronauts are not “stranded” in space.
A former NASA executive said the crew are safe at the ISS for now, with plenty of supplies and work.
On Thursday, a former NASA executive said the pair are “kind of stuck” rather than stranded.
Scott Hubbard explained that Wilmore and Williams are safely aboard the ISS, which has plenty of food, supplies and work to occupy their time.
As for Wilmore and Williams, the duo expressed confidence in the agency’s ability to safely get them back home – and said the Starliner was “truly impressive.”
Williams said: “We've been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew. It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team. So yeah, it’s great to be up here.”
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