NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, initially expected to spend eight days on the International Space Station (ISS), may remain for several additional weeks as experts address issues encountered by the Starliner upon docking.
According to NPR, NASA is conducting further ground testing and evaluating problems experienced by the capsule during docking, including helium leaks and five malfunctioning thrusters. In a recent press conference, NASA and Boeing emphasized their cautious approach while assuring that the astronauts are not stranded.
“We’re not stuck on ISS. The crew is not in any danger, and there’s no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth,” said Mark Nappi, manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA officials noted that the Starliner is designed to stay in space for up to 210 days. Although the initial test flight was planned for 45 days due to battery life constraints, the space station’s recharging capabilities have allowed NASA to consider extending this period.
Meanwhile, SpaceX launched its eighth crewed NASA flight into orbit in March.
