NASA officials have announced that they are still analyzing thruster data and have not yet decided whether to use Boeing’s Starliner or SpaceX for the return of astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore.
Sunita Williams, of Indian origin, and Butch Wilmore have been waiting a long time to return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). They have been at the ISS for over 60 days, while their mission was initially planned for 8 days. Their return has been delayed due to a problem with the thrusters.
What is NASA’s Plan?
NASA officials said they need to decide by the end of August whether to bring the astronauts back using Boeing’s Starliner, which transported them to the ISS, or SpaceX’s spacecraft. NASA is also working on a backup plan involving the Crew-9 mission. However, a final decision has not been made yet.
Ken Bowersox, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, mentioned in a press conference that they are approaching a point where they need to make a decision by the last week of August.
Possible Scenarios for Return
If NASA decides not to use Starliner, SpaceX might launch its Crew-9 mission to the ISS on September 24 with only two astronauts instead of the usual four. In this case, the Crew Dragon capsule could return with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025. This would be a significant setback for Boeing.
