NASA has announced that two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, will be returning to Earth in February 2025 after spending over two months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts initially launched on June 5 for what was expected to be an eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, but due to technical difficulties, their stay has been extended to about eight months. The Starliner faced several issues during its journey to the ISS, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters.
NASA awarded multi-billion dollar contracts to both Boeing and SpaceX to facilitate commercial space flights for astronauts, with Boeing’s contract valued at $4.2 billion and SpaceX’s at $2.6 billion. While SpaceX has successfully completed nine crewed missions for NASA, this mission marks Boeing’s first attempt at carrying astronauts.
To resolve the technical problems, Boeing and NASA engineers have conducted extensive testing and data analysis. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the importance of safety in space travel, noting that Boeing has been collaborating closely with NASA to implement necessary improvements.
The astronauts will now remain on the ISS until February 2025, when they will return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This change allows for the scheduled launch of SpaceX’s next vehicle, which was initially set to carry four astronauts but will now accommodate Williams and Wilmore as well. Both astronauts, who have extensive experience in long-duration space missions, support the plan for their extended stay on the ISS, during which they will engage in scientific research, maintenance tasks, and potentially some spacewalks.
Boeing has acknowledged the delays concerning the Starliner spacecraft, which have been caused by previous technical setbacks and issues during uncrewed flights. The company assured that it is prioritizing the safety of the crew and mission and is preparing for a successful uncrewed return.