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.