Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in space: NASA to decide on return this weekend

Extended ISS stay for Williams, Wilmore (X: NASA)

NASA announced that it will decide this weekend whether Boeing's new Starliner capsule is safe enough to bring the two seasoned astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's back from the International Space Station (ISS), where they have been stationed since June.

Administrator Bill Nelson and other top NASA officials will meet on Saturday, with an announcement expected from Houston once the meeting concludes.

We're holding a news conference to discuss NASA's @BoeingSpace Crew Flight Test at 1pm ET on Saturday, Aug. 24, following Saturday's Agency Test Flight Readiness Review. Details: https://t.co/E5eeSuI7hZpic.twitter.com/7qFtwJAqYv

NASA (@NASA) August 22, 2024

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing's Starliner on June 5 for a test flight. However, the mission quickly encountered significant issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks.

These problems were severe enough that NASA opted to keep the capsule docked at the station while engineers evaluated the situation.

One alternative under consideration is to have SpaceX retrieve the astronauts, but this would delay their return until February. The astronauts were initially scheduled to return after just a week at the ISS.

If NASA decides to proceed with SpaceX, the Starliner would return to Earth empty in September.

Engineers are currently assessing a new computer model for the Starliner’s thrusters to predict their performance during re-entry. The results, along with updated risk analyses, will play a crucial role in NASA's final decision.

Earlier this month, Boeing stated that extensive testing of the thrusters, both in space and on the ground, confirmed the Starliner's ability to safely bring the astronauts home.

This mission marks Boeing's first attempt to fly astronauts, a goal delayed for years due to numerous issues with the capsule. Two previous Starliner test flights were conducted without crew members.

NASA hired Boeing and SpaceX over a decade ago, following the retirement of the space shuttles, to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. SpaceX has been successfully performing these missions since 2020.