NASA decides against returning astronauts on troubled Starliner spacecraft

NASA has decided it is too risky to send test pilot astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that took them to the International Space Station (ISS) in June. What began as an eight-day shakedown mission for the two veteran astronauts has now turned into an eight-month odyssey. They will replace two of the four astronauts scheduled to travel to the ISS on a SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle in September for a planned six-month stay. Williams and Wilmore are expected to return home in February at the end of this extended mission.

“This has not been an easy decision, but it is absolutely the right one,” said Jim Free, NASA’s associate administrator. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that the decision was made out of a "commitment to safety."

The announcement was made at a news conference on Saturday. Boeing did not attend but issued a statement: “Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft. We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return.”