Starliner setbacks: NASA crews face extended ISS mission
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, currently on the International Space Station (ISS), must be patient. They were supposed to be in space until February. Still, their mission has been delayed again—until the end of March, or perhaps even April 2025—due to technical problems with the Starliner spacecraft built by Boeing.
The astronauts were supposed to return in July of this year, but initial technical issues with the Starliner forced an extension of their stay on the station until February of next year. After further delays related to the new capsule, their mission has been extended by at least two more months.
According to NASA, there is no reason to worry about the crew's safety.
The space station is well-stocked with everything the crew needs, including food, water, clothing and oxygen – NASA stated in a statement.
Most missions to the ISS last about six months, but extensions up to a year are not uncommon. According to Dr Simeon Barber from the UK's Open University, while Wilmore and Williams' situation is personally disappointing, it should not be operationally difficult for them.
I'm sure that they are already disappointed that they were going to miss Christmas back home with the folks. But this is only another two months on an already quite long mission, and I'm sure if you ask them, I'm sure they would tell you that the space station is where they love to be – explained Dr. Barber in an interview with the BBC.
Dragon capsule delays
Wilmore and Williams' return was also delayed due to problems preparing the Dragon capsule, which SpaceX developed. The new capsule was supposed to transport a four-person NASA crew to the ISS in February next year.
Due to its later launch, NASA also postponed the crew rotation to avoid further schedule disruptions in the mission.
The agency stated that the current plan aims for the flight to be ready by the end of March as soon as possible.
Only the new four-person crew that arrives at the ISS will be able to bring Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksander Gorbunov will also be aboard the returning capsule.
Despite the availability of the existing Dragon capsule, NASA decided to wait for a new model. The agency explains this decision as ensuring maximum safety for subsequent missions and maintaining the quality and reliability of flights.
