Two NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft malfunctioned and now face a longer stay due to an incompatibility with their spacesuits, which are designed to work only with Boeing's spacecraft and not SpaceX's Dragon vessel, which may be used to return them to Earth.
Two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, are now facing an extended stay due to an incompatibility between their spacesuits and those designed for SpaceX's Dragon vessel, which could potentially be used to return them to Earth.
NASA confirmed that the Boeing spacesuits are specifically designed to work with the company's Starliner spacecraft, while SpaceX's spacesuits are intended for use with its Dragon vessel. This incompatibility has reportedly created an issue in returning Wilmore and Williams to Earth.
Astronauts Stranded at ISS Due to Spacesuit Incompatibility with Boeing Starliner
NASA's chief of safety and mission assurance, Russ DeLoach, stated that both astronauts are highly familiar with the ISS, having each completed three prior missions to the station. However, the commercialization of space has reduced NASA's direct involvement in all aspects of mission and spacecraft design, leading to this potential issue.
NASA has not disclosed whether the spacesuit incompatibility poses a significant obstacle to the astronauts' return. Boeing has also been contacted for comment on the matter.
Astronauts Stranded at ISS Due to Spacesuit Incompatibility with Boeing Starliner
On Saturday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and agency leaders will conduct an internal agency test flight readiness review related to the Boeing crew flight test. The review will address any potential concerns and seek to resolve them.
Following the review, NASA is expected to hold a live news conference at 1 p.m. CST from the Johnson Space Center in Houston. During the conference, a decision is likely to be made regarding the return of the Starliner spacecraft with or without the astronauts.
Astronauts Stranded at ISS Due to Spacesuit Incompatibility with Boeing Starliner
If it is determined that the Starliner cannot return with the astronauts, Wilmore and Williams will remain on the space station until late February 2025. In this scenario, NASA would modify the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, scheduled for September, to include only two crew members instead of four. Wilmore and Williams would then return to Earth with the two-person crew early next year.
