When are astronauts ‘stuck’ in space returning home?

NASA is exploring a contingency plan to bring home the two astronauts who have been on the International Space Station (ISS) for two months with no clear end in sight.

Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams – who piloted the first crewed test flight of Starliner, a Boeing spacecraft – initially arrived at the ISS on June 6.. On Wednesday during a Press conference Carried out by NASA, it became clear that Starliner is experiencing problems that could prevent astronauts from returning to Earth until 2025.

“We know that at some point we will need to bring Butch and Suni home,” said Ken Bowersox, NASA associate administrator for space operations.

NASA revealed that it is exploring an alternative option for Wilmore and Williams to travel back to Earth in another spacecraft. Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, said the backup plan would involve a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule traveling to the ISS with two astronauts, rather than the intended four. Wilmore and Williams would stay on the space station before returning to Earth on the Crew Dragon in February 2025. The capsule was built by SpaceX, a competitor to Boeing.

“We could go either way,” Bowersox said.

Wilmore and Williams were only supposed to be in space for eight days, but their stay was extended because of problems related to Starliner’s thrusters. NASA and Boeing officials emphasizedhowever, that the crew is not “trapped” or “stuck” in space and that they had plans to return at the “right time.”

The SpaceX launch had already been scheduled for August 18, but NASA announced on Tuesday that the launch was postponed until no earlier than Sept. 24 so authorities can finalize a plan for the Starliner’s return.

Boeing said in a declaration on Friday that it “remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with the crew,” adding that it was supporting NASA’s requests for additional testing, data, analysis and review of the spacecraft.

If the backup plan is approved, Starliner would return to Earth without any astronaut on board.

NASA officials emphasized that they have not yet made a final decision.

“Our main option is to return Butch and Suni to the Starliner,” Stich said. “However, we have done the necessary planning to ensure we have other options open.”