Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore remain on board the International Space Station as ground officials run tests on Starliner, the spacecraft that embarked on its inaugural flight June 5, per NBC News.
The mission, described as “high-stakes,” was only supposed to last a week. Now, after 56 days, the astronauts are still waiting for a safe trip home.
Waiting or stranded?
Williams and Wilmore have work to do on the station, according to The Washington Post. The International Space Station is a laboratory that needs upkeep and maintenance.
Their work, which includes science experiments and chores, is being spread among nine astronauts who are currently living on board. They are also collecting data from themselves, using an ultrasound machine to analyze how space affects their bodies.
Williams talked to reporters in a briefing, per the Post. “We’ve been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew,” she said. “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.”
While some are suggesting the astronauts are “stuck” in space, NASA and Boeing reportedly stress otherwise, per Space.com. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, spoke to reporters at a teleconference on June 28.
“Our plan is to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time,” he said. “We’ll have a little bit more work to do to get there for the final return. But they’re safe on space station. Their spacecraft is working well, and they’re enjoying their time on the space station.”
The Starliner capsule has two problems that are preventing Williams and Wilmore from returning home safely, according to NBC News. One is helium leaks and the other is malfunctioning thrusters.
Over the weekend, NASA conducted a “hot fire test” on the aircraft, which involved both astronauts sitting inside the Starliner as 27 of the capsule’s 28 jets were fired in quick bursts. Engineers on the ground were able to analyze the thrusters to determine their performance.
The helium leaks, also checked during the test, have reportedly not increased to a point that would jeopardize the astronauts’ return to Earth and will be checked once more before the capsule undocks. In a post on X, Boeing Space confirmed the stable helium system.
According to The Washington Post, NASA officials said at a Thursday briefing that the spacecraft is likely healthy enough to bring Williams and Wilmore home, but such a decision would require “intensive review” with NASA and Boeing leadership.
The agencies have also said that if an emergency were to occur, the astronauts could fly back to Earth in the Starliner, as the Deseret News previously reported.
The Boeing Starliner
The Starliner’s voyage was “always intended as a test voyage for the spacecraft,” per Vox. But the spacecraft has faced issues before, such as a delayed launch date due to a faulty pressure regulation valve.
Williams and Wilmore luckily have extra supplies and could even use another docked spacecraft if they needed to quickly leave.
Starliner’s first voyage is a test, according to The Washington Post, to measure the performance and durability of the aircraft before a full contingent comprised of four astronauts uses it to fly to the station for longer stays.
The two currently waiting at the International Space Station have “more than 500 days in space combined between them” and were excited to return to space after a long wait.
Williams reportedly said in one preflight interview that because of the nature of the test flight, she knew that she and Wilmore needed to be prepared to improvise.
“We do anticipate everything’s going to go as planned,” she said. “But if it doesn’t, we’ll take a moment and analyze it and talk about it, and we’ll be okay. So our confidence in the mission is high.”
One unexpected scare occurred last month, when “all the astronauts had to scramble to their respective spacecraft because a satellite broke apart at an altitude near the space station, potentially posing a threat.”
According to The Washington Post, “Williams and Wilmore jumped inside the Starliner and began to prepare to undock in case debris from the satellite slammed into the station, forcing them to evacuate. In the end, the debris passed without incident and the crew resumed operations.”