Nasa astronauts ‘stranded in space’ on ISS after Boeing Starliner malfunctions as Nasa engineers race to fix capsule
TWO Nasa astronauts have been stuck in space after riding a faulty Boeing capsule into orbit.
Crews on Earth are scrambling to diagnose the issue as Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remain stranded at the International Space Station.
The astronauts were originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 13 after spending no more than a week on the ISS.
But Boeing's Starliner spacecraft encountered numerous problems during the 25-hour flight, triggering a two-week extension to their stay.
Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return home no sooner than June 26.
Starliner departed from Florida's Cape Canaveral on June 5 in what would be its first crewed flight.
“We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking."
Mark Nappi, Boeing's Starliner program manager, described the error-prone helium system as "manageable" despite "not working like we designed it".
"So we've got to go figure that out," he said.
The Nasa team is reviewing future return opportunities following the station's two planned spacewalks on June 24 and July 2.
“We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions," Stitch said.
Wilmore and Williams are assisting with station operations as needed while Starliner remains docked at the ISS.
They join the seven-member Expedition 71 crew, who have been stationed at the ISS since April, exploring neuro-degenerative diseases, space botany, and more.
“The crew’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and they know that every bit of learning we do on the Crew Flight Test will improve and sharpen our experience for future crews,” Nappi said.
What is the ISS?
Here's what you need to know about the International Space Station...
- The International Space Station, often abbreviated to ISS, is a large space craft that orbits Earth and houses astronauts who go up there to complete scientific missions
- Many countries worked together to build it and they work together to use it
- It is made up of many pieces, which astronauts had to send up individually on rockets and put together from 1998 to 2000
- Ever since the year 2000, people have lived on the ISS
- Nasa uses the station to learn about living and working in space
- It is approximately 250 miles above Earth and orbits around the planet just like a satellite
- Living inside the ISS is said to be like living inside a big house with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a gym, lots of science labs and a big bay window for viewing Earth
Boeing's Defense, Space & Security division built the spacecraft as part of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program in 2011.
A software error saw Starliner land in the wrong orbit during its first uncrewed test flight in 2019, while a subsequent attempt was hindered by problems with a fuel valve.
After further investigation, the company resolved issues with parachutes and stripped around a mile of flammable tape from the capsule.
The current mission was the third attempt to take Wilmore and Williams to the ISS.
The first didn't pan out due to a faulty oxygen valve on the rocket carrying Starliner, and the second stalled following an error in a ground launch sequence.
The latest delay also comes as Boeing is awash in controversy over its commercial aircraft.
Safety concerns prompted dual Senate hearings earlier this year where whistleblowers made allegations of harassment and intimidation against their superiors.
This came after a series of widely documented incidents that saw emergency evacuation slides plummeting through midair and, in one instance, a panel called a plug door.
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Alaska Airlines was forced to cancel thousands of flights after that accident, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Portland International Airport.
The manufacturer has also drawn scrutiny following the deaths of two whistleblowers within weeks of each other - a coincidence that sparked conspiracy theories online.
Life on the ISS
What is it like to live aboard the International Space Station? Read on to find out:
The Space Food Systems Laboratory at Houston's Johnson Space Center tests, prepares, and packages U.S. food to be delivered to ISS.
There are no dedicated refrigerators or freezers, so all food is stored at ambient temperature. It can be freeze-dried or thermostabilized to remain stable at these conditions.
A limited supply of fresh fruits and vegetables is replenished with every restocking mission, which occurs every few months.
Four different cargo spacecraft are used to deliver supplies: Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus, SpaceX’s Dragon, JAXA’s HTV, and the Russian Progress.
Toilets are located in the Zvezda, Nauka, and Tranquility units aboard the ISS, and astronauts must strap themselves down to keep from floating away. Rather using gravity to dispose of waste, these special toilets rely on suction and air flow.
Solid waste is packaged into garbage bags and carried away by cargo ships, which drop them into Earth's atmosphere to burn up. Liquid waste, meanwhile, is converted into drinking water.
The on-board Water Recovery System collects urine, sweat, and even the moisture in expelled breath. This is all forwarded to the Water Processor Assembly, which then turns it into usable water.
Oxygen is primarily made through a process called electrolysis. Nasa's Oxygen Generation System uses an electric current to drive a chemical reaction that produces the gaseous oxygen that is vented through the space station.
Most astronauts stay at the ISS for six months, but the duration of their stay is entirely dependent on their mission.
Astronaut Frank Rubio holds the record for time spent at the ISS - 371 days. He completed his mission on September 27, 2023, surpassing astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who ended his mission after 355 days.
The largest number of astronauts on the space station at one time is 13 and was recorded in July 2009.