Two Nasa astronauts aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule are currently at the International Space Station with no official return date as engineers work to resolve technical problems with the spacecraft. The test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, departed for the station in early June but experienced delays in undocking due to faulty thrusters and helium leaks.
Boeing spokesperson stated that most of the thruster problems and helium leaks had been stabilized and were not a concern for the return mission. However, Nasa and Boeing officials have not yet scheduled a return date for the astronauts, emphasizing that they are not stranded and the technical difficulties do not threaten the mission.
Nasa recently announced that tests were ongoing to ensure the capsule’s safety and that the engineers were working to resolve the issues before scheduling the departure. Options such as using other capsules for a safe return are being considered as a backup plan.
Engineers have completed testing on a spare thruster in New Mexico to understand the root cause of the technical problems, which may have been caused by degraded seals. This is not the first time the Starliner mission has faced technical issues, as problems with reaction control thrusters and helium leaks had previously delayed its launch.
Despite the challenges, Nasa and Boeing officials are focused on ensuring the safe return of the astronauts. Nasa’s commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich, stated that the top priority is the astronauts’ safety, and they will come home when the issues are resolved.
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