TWO NASA astronauts were trapped in space after sending a faulty Boeing capsule into orbit.
Crews on Earth are struggling to diagnose the problem while Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remain stranded on the International Space Station.
The astronauts were originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 13 after spending no more than a week on the ISS.
But Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft encountered several problems during the 25-hour flight, prompting a two-week extension to its stay.
Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return home no later than June 26.
Starliner departed Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 5, on what would be its first manned flight.
However, engineers quickly found problems, identifying five separate helium leaks in the spacecraft’s propulsion system.
NASA announced it would delay the return flight to give engineers time to diagnose the problems, which appeared partially resolved during a June 15 test.
“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said at an event. Press conference last week.
“We are letting the data guide our decision-making regarding the management of the small leaks in the helium system and the performance of the thrusters we observed during the rendezvous and docking.”
Mark Nappi, Boeing’s Starliner program manager, described the error-prone helium system as “manageable” despite “not working as we designed it.”
“So we have to figure it out,” he said.
The NASA team is analyzing future return opportunities following the station’s two planned spacewalks on June 24 and July 2.
“We are strategically using the extra time to clear the way for some critical station activities, while also completing preparation for Butch and Suni’s return on the Starliner and gaining valuable information on system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions. “, he said.
Wilmore and Williams are assisting with station operations as needed while Starliner remains docked at the ISS.
They join the seven-member Expedition 71 crew, which has been stationed on the ISS since April, exploring neurodegenerative diseases, space botany and more.
“Feedback from the crew has been extremely positive and they know that every learning we gain from the Crew Flight Test will improve and enhance our experience for future crews,” said Nappi.
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What is the ISS?
Here’s what you need to know about the International Space Station…
- The International Space Station, often shortened to ISS, is a large spacecraft that orbits Earth and houses astronauts who go there to complete scientific missions.
- Many countries worked together to build it and work together to use it
- It is made up of many parts, which astronauts had to send individually in rockets and assemble from 1998 to 2000
- Since the year 2000, people have lived on the ISS
- NASA uses the station to learn how to live and work in space
- It is approximately 250 miles above Earth and orbits around the planet like a satellite
- It is said that living inside the ISS is like living inside a big house with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a gym, lots of science labs and a big bay window to see Earth.
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Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security division built the spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program in 2011.
A software error caused Starliner to land in the wrong orbit during its first uncrewed test flight in 2019, while a subsequent attempt was marred by problems with a fuel valve.
After further investigation, the company resolved parachute issues and removed about a mile of flammable tape from the capsule.
The current mission was the third attempt to take Wilmore and Williams to the ISS.
The first failed due to a faulty oxygen valve on the rocket carrying the Starliner, and the second crashed after an error in the ground launch sequence.
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The latest delay also comes as Boeing is awash in controversy surrounding its commercial aircraft.
Security concerns led to two Senate hearings earlier this year where whistleblowers made allegations of harassment and intimidation against their superiors.
This followed a series of widely documented incidents that saw emergency evacuation slides plummet into the air and, in one case, a panel called a docking door.
Alaska Airlines was forced to cancel thousands of flights following the crash, which occurred shortly after take off from Portland International Airport.
The manufacturer has also come under scrutiny following the deaths of two whistleblowers within weeks of each other, sparking conspiracy theories online.
Life on the ISS
What’s it like to live aboard the International Space Station? Read more to find out:
The Space Food Systems Laboratory at Johnson Space Center Houston tests, prepares and packages U.S. food for delivery to the ISS.
There are no dedicated refrigerators or freezers, so all food is stored at room temperature. It can be freeze-dried or thermostabilized to remain stable under these conditions.
A limited supply of fresh fruits and vegetables is replenished with each resupply mission, which occurs every few months.
Four different cargo spacecraft are used to deliver supplies: Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus, SpaceX’s Dragon, JAXA’s HTV, and Russian Progress.
Bathrooms are located in the Zvezda, Nauka and Tranquility units aboard the ISS, and astronauts must tether themselves to avoid floating. Instead of using gravity to eliminate waste, these special toilets rely on suction and airflow.
Solid waste is packed in garbage bags and transported by cargo ships, which release it into the Earth’s atmosphere to be burned. Liquid waste, in turn, is converted into drinking water.
The integrated water recovery system collects urine, sweat and even moisture from expelled breath. All of this is sent to the Water Processing Set, which then transforms it into usable water.
Oxygen is mainly produced through a process called electrolysis. NASA’s Oxygen Generation System uses an electrical current to drive a chemical reaction that produces gaseous oxygen that is released by the space station.
Most astronauts stay on the ISS for six months, but the length of their stay depends entirely on their mission.
Astronaut Frank Rubio holds the record for time spent on the ISS – 371 days. He completed his mission on September 27, 2023, surpassing astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who ended his mission after 355 days.
The largest number of astronauts on the space station at the same time is 13 and was recorded in July 2009.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
