Astronauts Express Confidence in Starliner Despite Challenges
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, remain confident they could have returned to Earth aboard the spacecraft had they had more time.
"We could have gotten to the point, I believe, where we could have returned on Starliner, but we just simply ran out of time," stated Wilmore, acknowledging the complexities that led to their extended stay on the ISS.
They are now scheduled to return in 2025 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle.
Initially slated for a brief eight-day mission, Wilmore and Williams had to adjust to a much longer stay after the Starliner's technical issues forced it to return empty.
Wilmore pointed out the advantage of having the Crew Dragon as a backup, noting that in the past, there have been instances where such options were not available.
NASA made the decision to return Starliner empty in early September to free up the docking port for other spacecraft. While the Starliner encountered helium leaks and propulsion issues, it landed without major problems, prompting Williams to express relief.
Wilmore emphasized that Boeing is ready to implement changes following the challenges faced by the Starliner program. He acknowledged the risks inherent in testing new spacecraft, stating that when dealing with spacecraft that have never been flown before, issues are bound to arise. In this case, the issues encountered were deemed too significant to risk putting the astronauts back in the Starliner.
Williams, while missing her family, remains enthusiastic about her extended stay in space. "This is my happy place. I love being up here in space. It's just fun," she said. Both astronauts continue to engage with NASA and Boeing on discussions about what needs to be improved to get Starliner back on track.