NASA OFFICIALS HAVE said they have yet to decide whether to return two astronauts to Earth aboard Boeing’s Starliner, which flew them to the International Space Station (ISS), or bring them home on a rival SpaceX craft.

Astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams launched into space on Starliner on 5 June for what was meant to be an eight-day stay.

But they have been in orbit for 70 days, with their return delayed by thruster malfunctions that came to light during the first crewed mission to the ISS by the Boeing spacecraft.

At a press conference today, Nasa officials said they were still analysing thruster data, but a decision on whether to use Starliner or SpaceX was looming.

“We don’t have a sharp cutoff, right?” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of Nasa’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. “We can juggle things and make things work if we need to extend.

“But it’s getting a lot harder,” Bowersox said. “We’re reaching a point where that last week in August, we really should be making a call, if not sooner.”

He said the two astronauts were “making the best” of their extra time aboard the ISS “but I’m sure they’re eager for a decision, just like the rest of us”.

“When we have that, we will be sure to get together with the rest of you and share that information,” he said.

This photo provided by Nasa shows Boeing's Starliner spacecraft which launched astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station docked to the Harmony module's forward port on 3 July. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Bowersox said the main issue is with the propulsion system. “Our big concern is having a successful deorbit burn,” he said.

The Nasa official said there have been “very honest discussions” with Boeing and the company is “100% behind their vehicle.”

“They have confidence in their vehicle,” he said.

In the event a decision is made not to use Starliner, Boeing’s rival SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, a scheduled Crew-9 mission could potentially be launched to the ISS on 24 September with just two astronauts rather than the usual four.

The Crew Dragon capsule would then be able to return to Earth with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025, in what would amount to a major embarrassment for aerospace giant Boeing.

Nasa chief astronaut Joe Acaba said astronauts “embark on missions fully aware of the various scenarios and outcomes that may become our realities”.

He said astronauts undergo rigorous training to prepare both mentally and physically prepared for the challenges that may arise in any given mission.

“This mission was a test flight, and as Butch and Suni expressed ahead of their launch, they knew this mission might not be perfect,” he said.

“Human space flight is inherently risky, and as astronauts, we accept that as part of the job.”

Acaba said both astronauts are “very familiar with life aboard the space station”. 

“If Butch and Suni do not come home on Starliner and they are kept aboard the station, they will have about eight months on orbit,” he said.

“We are lucky to be in a time in human space flight where we have regular resupply missions, enabling the crews aboard the station to receive any extra supplies they may need.”

He said he had spoken to Wilmore and Williams numerous times “and they continue to be committed to the mission”. 

With reporting from © AFP 2024