Beyond 50 days delay of Boeing Starliner capsule, will Sunita William return soon? NASA shared updates

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams (Photo Credit - NASA)

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Willaim and his companion are stuck in space for more than 50 days, the mission was expected to be finished on June 13, when the first return of these two astronauts was planned.

Originally the mission was planned as an eight-day mission, but their stay has now been extended to over 50, due to the technical problems of the helium leak and thruster problem led to delays in returns on June 13 and then rescheduled to June 26 that too also got cancelled. And no further update on the new date of return is shared.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Boeing held a media teleconference at 9 PM or 11:30 am ET on Thursday, July 25,  "to provide the latest status of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission aboard the International Space Station," an update by the US space agency on social media.

During the conference, the agency shared that NASA flight director Ed Van Cise is working closely with the team to solve the issue of Boeing. This collaboration is to tackle the issue with the spacecraft to prepare for its departure back to Earth.

Updates on the several files and crucial software are done by NASA operators. The team plans to hot-fire 27 of the 28 RCS thrusters this weekend as the spacecraft is docked at the International Space Station (ISS).

The test is being conducted to identify more issues in the thrusters to know about its performance and to gather additional information on the helium leak data.

According to NASA, “The test series involved firing the engine through similar in-flight conditions the spacecraft experienced during its approach to the space station."

Additionally, these testing also involves stress-case firings for “what is expected during Starliner’s undocking and the deorbit burn that will position the spacecraft for a landing in the southwestern United States". Further adding to the statement “Teams are analyzing the data from these tests, and leadership plans to discuss initial findings during the call."

NASA officials have confirmed that there is no fixed return date for astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who are currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule.

The Aerospace giant is diligently investigating the cause of these issues, and a return mission will be approved once NASA reviews Boeing’s engineering, likely in early August. Despite the delays, both astronauts remain confident in a safe return to Earth.