By Nicole Mancebo 10-I

As of September 14, there are two NASA astronauts stuck in space on the ISS because of a technical malfunction with their spacecraft. The two astronauts were only meant to be in space for eight days, but now they will be there for at least eight months after NASA determined the experimental Boeing Starliner capsule posed too much risk for them to return to Earth. The pair have been keeping high hopes and say they appreciated all the prayers and well wishes from strangers back home.

The pair of astronauts named Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were only supposed to be on an 8-day round trip to the ISS. Since blasting off from Florida on June 5, they have now ‘adjusted’ to life in space, even helping in routine maintenance and experiments. 

The primary purpose of their mission was to conduct a crewed flight test of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, which is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program that was originally designed to ensure efficient transportation for astronauts to and from the ISS. This test was crucial for certifying the Starliner for future manned missions. Although the spacecraft successfully landed with the ISS, the issues encountered raised concerns about its safety for the return journey. 

The Boeing Starliner has been reported to have many technical issues including helium leaks, thruster malfunctions, and software compatibility problems, which compromised its safety and performance during the crewed flight test. Helium is needed to pressurize fuel and make sure that it gets in the engines while also cooling the systems. Several thrusters on the Starliner have also failed to perform as expected during the most important phases of the mission, most specifically when attempting to connect with the International Space Station, and some thrusters shut down unexpectedly.

Engineers have also discovered that in the thrusters a lot of heat was accumulating, which could cause the Teflon seals to break apart, which restricts the propellants access or flow. This was a significant enough issue that it required a custom return procedure just to ensure the safety of the astronauts during their descent. Last but not least, the last major issue was software compatibility concerns, which could affect the docking or anchoring efficiency, and the spacecraft’s systems were not deemed reliable enough for a safe return of the astronauts. Consequently, due to all of this, the NASA astronauts were not deemed safe to return home.

However, NASA intends to safely bring the astronauts back to Earth by utilizing a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The astronauts are said to make a return around February 2025 if everything goes well, and after SpaceX adjusts its upcoming Crew Dragon mission to accommodate them, reducing the number of astronauts on that flight from four to two. To command the Crew-9 mission, NASA decided to deploy Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, astronauts who have previous spaceflight experience. 

It isn’t as simple as it sounds, though, as NASA cannot simply send a spaceship immediately. The Starliner experienced multiple issues, which led NASA to determine that it was unsafe for the astronauts to return on that vehicle. Consequently, the Starliner was sent back to Earth with no crew members on board, and NASA is prioritizing safety over speed in planning their return. Also, such complicated retrieval requires quite a lot of logistical planning and rearranging of the already pre-planned Crew-9 mission. Not to mention that sending a spacecraft to the ISS is not as simple as launching at any time; it involves coordination with various different space agencies, ensuring that the ISS is prepared for additional crew, and confirming that all systems are operational and safe for the journey.

Sources:

Wise, A. (2024, September 13). Stranded NASA astronauts say being stuck in space is just part of the job. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/09/13/nx-s1-5111634/stranded-nasa-astronauts-say-being-stuck-in-space-is-just-part-of-the-job

Jalopnik, R. E. K. /. (2024, September 11). Boeing Starliner has been a disaster. Here’s everything that went wrong. Quartz. https://qz.com/boeing-starliner-nasa-astronauts-stranded-timeline-1851645570

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 changes ahead of September launch – NASA. (n.d.). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-9-changes-ahead-of-september-launch/