NASA, astronauts shrug off Starliner return trip delay
Two astronauts are stuck on the International Space Station due to problems with Boeing’s Starliner
What happened
Astronauts Suni Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore said Wednesday they are enjoying their extended stay aboard the International Space Station after their return to Earth was indefinitely postponed due to thruster glitches and helium leaks on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The two astronauts had planned on an eight-day stay after arriving at the ISS on June 6, on the Starliner's maiden crewed voyage.
Who said what
"I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem," Williams said to reporters from the ISS. In the meantime, "it's great to be up here. I'm not complaining that we're here for a couple extra weeks." Wilmore said despite the thruster issues, the Starliner has been "truly impressive."
Boeing and NASA said the astronauts could fly the Starliner home now in an emergency, but the in-orbit and on-the-ground testing will add more assurances and help with future flights.
What next?
Steve Stich, who oversees NASA's commercial crew program, said the earliest the Starliner could return to Earth is late July. There has been "no discussion" about sending a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft up to "rescue" Williams and Wilmore, he added.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Is a social media ban for teens the answer?Talking Point Australia is leading the charge in banning social media for people under 16 — but there is lingering doubt as to the efficacy of such laws
-
Magazine crossword: 1499Puzzles The weekly crossword from The Week
-
Political cartoons for January 16Cartoons Friday’s political cartoons include the Nobel Peace prize, the wrong island, and more
-
The ‘eclipse of the century’ is coming in 2027Under the radar It will last for over 6 minutes
-
NASA discovered ‘resilient’ microbes in its cleanroomsUnder the radar The bacteria could contaminate space
-
Artemis II: back to the MoonThe Explainer Four astronauts will soon be blasting off into deep space – the first to do so in half a century
-
The mysterious origin of a lemon-shaped exoplanetUnder the radar It may be made from a former star
-
The 5 biggest astronomy stories of 2025In the spotlight From moons, to comets, to pop stars in orbit
-
Blue Origin launches Mars probes in NASA debutSpeed Read The New Glenn rocket is carrying small twin spacecraft toward Mars as part of NASA’s Escapade mission
-
‘The Big Crunch’: why science is divided over the future of the universeThe Explainer New study upends the prevailing theory about dark matter and says it is weakening
-
The moon is rustingUnder the radar The Earth is likely to blame
