Washington: NASA has announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will not be returning to Earth this year as originally planned. The pair, who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in June aboard a Boeing spacecraft, had their return delayed due to a malfunction in the Boeing Starliner capsule. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has now confirmed that the astronauts will return to Earth via a SpaceX rocket instead.
Nelson explained that the propulsion systems on the Starliner capsule are faulty, making it too risky to use for the astronauts' return journey. As a result, Williams and Wilmore are now scheduled to return in February 2025 aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This spacecraft is set to launch next month as part of a regular astronaut rotation mission, with two of its four seats reserved for Wilmore and Williams. The Starliner, meanwhile, will detach from the ISS and attempt to return to Earth without any crew on board.
NASA’s decision to rely on SpaceX, Boeing’s primary competitor, was made after careful consideration of the risks involved. Boeing had aimed to overcome various developmental challenges with the Starliner, setting an initial budget of $1.6 billion for its development back in 2016. However, the project has far exceeded that budget.
Speaking at a press conference in Houston, Nelson mentioned that he had discussed NASA’s decision with Boeing's new CEO, Kelly Ortberg. Ortberg assured Nelson that Boeing would continue to address the issues with the Starliner once it returns safely. Boeing is currently facing additional challenges related to quality control in the production of its commercial aircraft, which are among its most critical products.
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