They went to area for eight days

When two American astronauts blasted off on a check mission to the International Space Station on 5 June, they had been anticipating to be again house in a matter of days.

But issues did not fairly go to plan.

In truth, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams are nonetheless there, floating excessive above the Earth practically two months later.

The pair – who’re caught indefinitely – now face the sudden prospect of lacking the summer season completely and even spending Christmas and New Year in area.

Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, flew a Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the station. It was the primary flight of its variety with individuals on board and was a check designed to see how the brand new spacecraft performs earlier than it’s used extra often.

Problems, nonetheless, emerged because it made its method. These included leaks in its propulsion system and a few of its thrusters shutting down.

So whereas they made it to the area station safely, they’ll want another mode of transport to get house if the Starliner shouldn’t be deemed protected to return to Earth.

At a information briefing on Wednesday, Nasa officers mentioned no agency selections had been made on the subject of subsequent steps.

“Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner,” Steve Stich, supervisor of Nasa’s Commercial Crew Program, mentioned. “However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.”

One potential option being considered, they said, is to attach the two astronauts to a mission that is scheduled to launch in September, and return them to earth with that mission in February 2025.

That flight to the space station will be made by a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft. The initial plan was for four crew members to be aboard, but two of the seats could be left empty if needed.

That plan would mean the astronauts would spend more than eight months – rather than eight days – aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

If the Crew Dragon is used, the Starliner craft would be returned to Earth without any crew, under computer control.

Nasa officials said it could take a week or more for a final decision to be made.

Ken Bowersox, Nasa’s director of space operations, told reporters the chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two.””That’s why we’re trying extra intently at that choice to ensure that we will deal with it,” he said.

Using a SpaceX craft to return the astronauts would be a blow to Boeing, which has for years tried to compete with the company and its more experienced Crew Dragon.

Earlier this week, Nasa used a SpaceX rocket to deliver more food and supplies to the ISS, including extra clothes for the two astronauts.

Last month, in a short press briefing, the pair said they were “completely assured” within the return journey and Starliner was “truly impressive.”

This is the third stint aboard the ISS for Ms Williams, a retired Navy helicopter pilot, whereas Mr Wilmore is a former fighter jet pilot who has been to area twice earlier than.

“We’ve been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew,” Ms Williams advised reporters throughout a latest briefing name.

“It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team,” she said. “So yeah, it’s great to be up here.”

Boeing hoped that the maiden Starliner mission would pave the best way for normal use of its capsule for missions forwards and backwards to the station. The Space X Crew Dragon has been accepted for Nasa missions since 2020.

Although the astronauts will spend way more time in area than they initially deliberate, others have spent for much longer durations above the Earth’s floor. Russian Valeri Polyakov spent 437 days in area in aboard the Mir area station within the mid-Nineteen Nineties.

Last 12 months, Frank Rubio returned from the ISS after 371 days, the longest time an American has spent in area.

And Russia’s Oleg Kononenko, additionally at present aboard the ISS, is the primary particular person to have spent greater than 1,000 days in area through the course of their profession.

In their briefings and interviews, the 2 Americans have been upbeat about their scenario. “I’m not complaining that we’re here for a couple extra weeks,” Ms Williams mentioned final month.

As issues stand, the pair could also be there for a lot of extra weeks to come back.