Sunita Williams-Led Boeing Starliner Mission Faces Delay, Extends Stay at Space Station

More than three weeks into a mission that was supposed to last just a few days, the two astronauts on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft are still unsure when they will return to Earth.

The crewed test flight, which took off on June 5, has faced problems like helium leaks and thruster failures.

Despite these issues, officials have confirmed that the Starliner is safe for astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.

Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, said on Friday that the agency is thinking about extending the mission from 45 to 90 days. The exact return date is still unknown because of ongoing tests and evaluations.

“The timeline to conduct and review the test in New Mexico is a significant factor in determining the landing date,” Stich said. The extension aims to fix the problems found during the spacecraft’s journey, especially with its thrusters, as reported by CNN.

Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president and program manager, mentioned that the goal of the ongoing ground tests is to find the root cause of the issue.

“If the tests provide a complete solution, we can undock and return. If not, additional tests might be needed to get full answers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Williams and Wilmore have joined the International Space Station (ISS) crew and are carrying out their scheduled tasks.

The mission’s problems started with the Starliner’s launch on an Atlas V rocket. Although a helium leak was found before takeoff, it was considered manageable at the time. Nappi has no regrets about going ahead with the flight, saying it was always meant to be a test.

“The mission has provided valuable data, despite the issues encountered,” Nappi said. “This is part of our process to refine and improve the spacecraft for future missions.”

In another space-related incident, a defunct Russian satellite broke into over 100 pieces of debris, causing the US Space Command to take precautionary measures.

The breakup, which happened on Wednesday, led astronauts on the ISS to take shelter in their spacecraft for about an hour, Reuters reported.

US Space Command said that the satellite, RESURS-P1, created a debris cloud that has now expanded to around 180 pieces. The debris is expected to remain a hazard for weeks to months, given its orbit at about 355 km (220 miles) above Earth.

This event adds to growing concerns about space debris, which poses risks of collisions and can lead to a cascading effect known as the Kessler syndrome.

This phenomenon can greatly increase the amount of space junk, making satellite operations and space missions more difficult.

The breakup of the RESURS-P1 satellite highlights the ongoing challenge of managing space debris and ensuring the safety of spacecraft and satellites in increasingly crowded orbits.