NASA leaders announced that Starliner astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams will be staying aboard the International Space Station for an extended eight-month period. This decision was made after a flight readiness review deemed it too risky for them to return to Earth on the Boeing spacecraft. The Starliner will return empty to Earth to make way for SpaceX Crew-9, scheduled to arrive at the space station in September. Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth on the Dragon capsule with Crew-9.
The decision to keep Wilmore and Williams onboard the International Space Station was made in the interest of safety, which is a core value for NASA. The Starliner experienced issues with helium leaks and its propulsion system, delaying its return to Earth. This led to the postponement of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The Starliner crew will return in February 2023 with Crew-9 on the Dragon capsule.
The extended stay of the Starliner astronauts is not unprecedented, as NASA astronaut Frank Rubio had a delayed return as well. The decision to keep Wilmore and Williams aboard the International Space Station underscores NASA’s commitment to safety and thorough decision-making processes when unexpected issues arise during space missions.
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