NASA Will Soon Reveal Sunita Williams And Barry Wilmore’s Route Of Return

NASA will decide on Boeing’s capsule’s safety for returning two astronauts from the International Space Station this weekend. Administrator Bill Nelson and top officials will meet on Saturday, with an announcement expected from Houston after the meeting.

On June 5, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner. The test mission rapidly faced rocket malfunctions and helium leaks so severe that NASA parked the spacecraft at the station while engineers deliberated what to do.

They were supposed to return after a week 

The astronauts might be retrieved by SpaceX, but this would keep them in space until next February. They were expected to return after about a week at the station.

If NASA determines that SpaceX is the preferred option, Starliner will make its return journey to Earth devoid of any payload, scheduled for September. 

Currently, engineers are engaged in a thorough assessment of a novel computer model designed specifically for the Starliner’s thrusters. This evaluation entails studying how the thrusters will operate during the capsule’s descent from orbit, specifically focusing on the critical touchdown phase set to take place in the expansive US Western desert. 

NASA emphasized that the outcomes of this examination, which encompasses the integration of updated risk assessments, will play a pivotal role in their conclusive decision-making process.

It was the company’s first astronaut flight

Earlier this month, Boeing announced the successful completion of extensive testing involving thrusters in space and on the ground, which validated Starliner’s capability to safely bring astronauts back. 

This marked a significant milestone for the company as it was their inaugural astronaut flight, which had faced numerous delays due to various issues with the capsule. 

Notably, the two previous Starliner test flights were unmanned, highlighting the progression towards crewed missions.

After the space shuttles were retired ten years ago, NASA hired Boeing and SpaceX to transport its personnel to and from the station. Since 2020, SpaceX has been operating.

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