Why NASA has only 19 days left to rescue Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from Space

NASA faces a critical deadline to safely return astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS). The two astronauts have been stranded on the ISS due to technical issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The Starliner, which docked at the ISS on June 13, 2024, was initially scheduled to return to Earth after a week-long mission.However, problems with the spacecraft’s thrusters and helium systems have delayed their return, leaving NASA with only 19 days to resolve the issues before the Crew-9 mission arrives.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 5, 2024. Their mission was to test the Starliner in its first manned flight, a significant milestone for Boeing’s commercial crew program. The spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS, but as it approached, five of its 28 thrusters unexpectedly shut down. Additionally, engineers discovered five small helium leaks in the spacecraft’s service module. These issues have prevented the Starliner from safely undocking and returning to Earth, posing a significant threat to the safety of the astronauts.

NASA and Boeing engineers have been working tirelessly to diagnose and fix the problems with the Starliner. Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, has stated that a return timeline for Williams and Wilmore has not yet been determined. The spacecraft’s thrusters and helium systems are critical for its safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, and any malfunction could pose significant risks to the astronauts’ safety. The situation is further complicated by the need to manage docking ports at the ISS, as the Starliner must be undocked to accommodate the upcoming Crew-9 mission.
The Crew-9 mission, scheduled for launch no earlier than August 18, 2024, will transport NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, and Stephanie Wilson, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The arrival of Crew-9 adds urgency to the situation, as the docking port currently occupied by the Starliner must be cleared for the new crew. If the Starliner remains inoperative, NASA may have to consider alternative methods to bring Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, including potentially using a SpaceX Dragon capsule. NASA has since conducted 100,000 simulations to figure out how to bring the astronauts back to Earth.
Over the years, flammable protective tape, battery problems, and parachute system failures have all been part of Boeing's Starliner program's many setbacks. These issues are expected to cost Boeing close to $1.5 billion in lost revenue. The current state of the Starliner presents additional difficulties for the program as engineers race against time to fix technical problems and guarantee the astronauts' safe return.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have continued their mission activities aboard the ISS while awaiting a resolution patiently. Sunita Williams is also currently facing health risks related to bone loss in the ISS. They have been providing updates on their research and the status of the Starliner through space-to-Earth calls. On July 10, 2024, they addressed the media, sharing insights into their extended stay and the ongoing efforts to fix the spacecraft. Despite the challenges, both astronauts have remained in good spirits, demonstrating their resilience and professionalism.
NASA’s efforts to return Williams and Wilmore safely to Earth highlight the complexities and risks often associated with human spaceflight. The agency’s collaboration with Boeing and SpaceX puts emphasis on the importance of reliable spacecraft and the need for contingency plans in the event of technical failures. With the deadline approaching in 19 days, the world watches closely, hoping for a successful resolution to this critical mission.
For the uninitiated, Sunita Williams was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1998. Since then, she has completed two years of intensive training, which included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training.
Boeing and NASA have so far conducted around 1,00,000 computer model simulations to prepare for any issue the spacecraft might face during the undocking. These issues include the deorbit burn, and landing. In addition to that they have conducted 9 hardware and software tabletops, 18 runs and 230 hours of testing in Avionics.
Allegedly, since the return of Boeing's Starliner has been delayed significantly, the aerospace company might end up losing $125 million more. The mission was supposed to last just 8 days, however to helium leaks and thruster issues there was initially a problem in docking and now it is causing issues to the spacecraft. They have been stuck in the space for more than 55 days. As per SEC filing this $125 million loss is on top of $238 million loss that company had endured in 2023.
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