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Starliner's test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been at International Space Station for two months, may not return until next year.

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Boeing's Starliner issues could push astronaut return to next yearPlease ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibilityTue, 17 Sep 2024 14:32:38 GMT (1726583558652)Story Infinite Scroll - News3 v1.0.0 (common)5c6bc9d927539845a520dde70d0a266b751437a7NewsWeatherMapsRadarHurricane TrackerCamsWeather News3 Degree GuaranteeFeaturesTrafficGame CenterWatch Now 65 Wed 87 Thu 85Boeing's Starliner issues could push astronaut return to next yearby The National DeskWed, August 7th 2024 at 9:31 AMUpdated Wed, August 7th 2024 at 11:36 AM8VIEW ALL PHOTOSIn this image from video provided by NASA, astronauts Suni Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore give a news conference aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (NASA via AP)TOPICS:NASABoeingStarlinerSpaceXAstronautLaunchSpace stationCapsuleStarliner's test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been at International Space Station for two months, may not return until next year.In a teleconference Wednesday, NASA and Boeing, discussed the ongoing operations involving a thruster and leak problems that hit Boeing's Starliner capsule after its June liftoff, its first with a crew on board.Wilmore and Williams should have been back on Earth in mid-June.Steve Stich, Commercial Crew Program Manager, said NASA has "placed all the options on the table" while planning the return for Starliner's test pilots.One of those contingency options discussed was to have Wilmore and Williams return on SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle. If that's the case,Wilmore and Williams would not be able to return until February 2025."Moving forward, what we are trying to do is reduce that uncertainty, see if we can drive some more consensus amongst our team, at the same time getting more serious about evaluating our other options," saidStich during Wednesday's media interaction.He added that NASA has been working with SpaceX to "ensure that they are ready to respond on Crew 9 for a contingency in returning Butch and Suni on Crew 9 if we need that."Stich explained he bringing back the astronauts work. "We have set up the Dragon for Crew 9 to have flexibility, to have only two passengers fly up on that flight and then we can return four crew members in February 2025 time frame, and Butch and Suni would remain on station as part of that increment and return home with them on Crew 9." On Tuesday, NASA announced it has delayed its next astronaut launch to buy more time at the space station for Boeing's troubled new crew capsule.The space agency said Tuesday it's bumping SpaceX's four-person flight from this month to next. It's now targeted for Sept. 24 at the earliest."NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft's readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner's return," NASA said in a statement.Only two docking ports at the space station can accommodate U.S. astronaut capsules and, right now, both are occupied. So one will need to be vacated before the next SpaceX crew can arrive. Russia has its own parking places for its Soyuz capsules.The latest setback means the four astronauts who flew up with SpaceX in March now also face a longer mission than planned.Over the past several weeks, Boeing has conducted thruster test firings on the ground as well as in space to better understand why five thrusters failed ahead of Starliner's June 6 arrival at the space station. All but one came back online. Helium leaks in the capsule's propulsion system also cropped up.Citing the testing, the company late last week said: "Boeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew."Boeing and SpaceX topped NASA's list for astronaut taxi service to and from the space station, after the shuttles retired in 2011. NASA signed contracts worth billions with both companies in order to have a backup in case one of them got sidelined by an accident.SpaceX launched its first crew in 2020; the upcoming flight will be its 10th astronaut flight for NASA. It's also sent a few private crews into orbit.Boeing has had to overcome multiple Starliner problems over the years. The company had to launch an empty Starliner twice before committing to a crew, repeating the initial flight test because of bad software and other issues. The delays have cost the company more than $1 billion.Editor's Note: The Associated Press contributed to this story.Stay ConnectedLike UsFollow Ussbg-envelopeNewsletter Sign up /sign-up© 2024 Sinclair, Inc.TermsEEOFCCPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesLoading ...

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