Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to remain at the International Space Station until February 2025 after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft completed a three-month test mission that faced technical issues. The spacecraft landed in New Mexico, wrapping up its mission despite earlier problems with thrusters that forced the astronauts to be temporarily stranded in space.
The Starliner successfully re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the New Mexico desert, with the two crew members, Wilmore and Williams, staying on the ISS for safety reasons. The mission, intended to certify the spacecraft for routine missions, faced setbacks due to thruster malfunctions and leaks of helium used to pressurize the thrusters.
Boeing has been conducting intensive investigations into the technical issues that have cost the company $125 million, with NASA expressing concerns over the safety of the spacecraft’s systems. The malfunctions are not the first to affect the Starliner, with previous failed test trips in 2019 and 2022.
The challenges faced by the Starliner have put Boeing’s dominance in the aerospace industry at risk, as SpaceX’s cheaper satellite launches have reshaped NASA’s collaborations with private companies. Despite these setbacks, Boeing plans to continue investigating the thruster failures to ensure the future safety of its spacecraft.
Wilmore and Williams, who originally planned an eight-day mission, will now return to Earth in February 2025 using a vehicle from SpaceX. Despite the unexpected extension of their mission, the astronauts are well-trained and prepared for such eventualities, according to experts in the field.
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