NASA Postpones Astronauts’ Return from ISS After Starliner Malfunction
NASA has once again delayed the return of astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). The two astronauts have been stuck on the ISS after Boeing’s Starliner capsule experienced a malfunction earlier this year.
The mission team, which arrived at the ISS in June, was supposed to test the full capabilities of the Starliner, including its launch, docking, and return processes. Originally planned to last just one week, the mission encountered issues when five out of the capsule’s 28 thrusters failed before docking. While Boeing assured that their technology could safely bring the astronauts back to Earth, NASA was not convinced and deemed the risk too high. Consequently, the responsibility was handed over to SpaceX.
In September, SpaceX launched the Crew-9 mission, tasked with, among other duties, bringing Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. However, their return, initially scheduled for February via the Crew Dragon rocket, has now been postponed. NASA announced that the astronauts would return only after the Crew-10 mission, which is planned for no earlier than late March 2025.
This delay allows SpaceX and NASA engineers to wrap up the development of a new Dragon spacecraft, which will be sent to SpaceX’s Florida facility next month.
"Building, assembling, testing, and fully integrating a new spacecraft is a meticulous process that demands a lot of attention to detail,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We appreciate the dedication of the SpaceX team in expanding the Dragon fleet for our missions and the flexibility of the station program and expedition crews as we work together to prepare the new capsule for flight.”
NASA has stated that the Crew-9 and Crew-10 teams must go through a “handover period,” where the current ISS crew shares their experiences and knowledge with the newcomers. This ensures the smooth running of scientific experiments and maintenance of the station.
After evaluating various options, NASA and SpaceX agreed that launching Crew-10 in March is the best choice to meet NASA’s goals and fulfill space station objectives for 2025.
A Long Stay in Space
In November, the ISS received two resupply missions to ensure the crew has enough food, water, clothing, and oxygen. However, experts have raised concerns about the potential health risks for Wilmore and Williams, who have now been in space for over nine months.
Since the 1970s, scientists have been researching the effects of space travel on the human body. They have identified issues such as bone loss, weakened heart function, vision problems, and kidney stones. A recent study from University College London indicates that kidney structure and function can suffer permanent damage, although this is more severe for astronauts venturing far from Earth, which is not the case for those on the ISS.
NASA notes that ISS expeditions typically last about six months. Some astronauts have even stayed for a year to help study how humans adapt to space travel, paving the way for future lunar and Martian missions.
This article was originally published on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
