NASA Decision Pending on Starliner’s Return: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Await Fate

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are currently waiting for a decision from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regarding their return to Earth aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. NASA has yet to finalize several key details, including the exact date for the astronauts’ return, whether to send the spacecraft back uncrewed, or to transport them back using either the Starliner or a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Ken Bowersox, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Operations, provided an update, stating, “We’re reaching a point where that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner.” Bowersox further explained, “Everybody will like a date, but we got some working dates, but I know we need to maintain that flexibility…right now, Butch and Sunny are well engaged on board the ISS…I know that they are making the best of the time, but I am sure they are eager for a decision just like the rest of us, and when we have that, we will be sure to get together with the rest of you and share that information.”

Williams and Wilmore launched aboard the Starliner on June 5 and arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6. Their initial plan was to return to Earth by mid-June. However, this schedule was disrupted when the Starliner was found to have several issues, including problems with its propulsion system, helium leaks, and thruster malfunctions. As a result, the spacecraft has now been in space for over two months.

Efforts are underway to identify the root cause of these problems and ensure a safe return for the astronauts. While the primary goal is to bring Williams and Wilmore back on the Starliner, NASA is also considering the possibility of using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft if the Starliner remains unfit for the return journey.

Joel Montalbano, Deputy Associate Administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, emphasized the inherent risks of human spaceflight. He noted, “Butch and Suni [Sunita Williams] said ahead of their launch that they know that this mission might not be perfect. Human spaceflights are inherently risky, and as astronauts, we accept that.”

If Williams and Wilmore do not return on the Starliner and remain aboard the ISS, they could spend up to eight months in orbit. Should they return on a SpaceX spacecraft, their journey back to Earth would be scheduled for February 2025. In the event that the Starliner is not used, SpaceX, which is a competitor of Boeing, could potentially launch NASA’s Crew-9 mission to the ISS on September 24 with only two astronauts instead of the usual four. This would allow the Crew Dragon capsule to bring Williams and Wilmore back in February 2025.

NASA officials have indicated that if the mission plan is altered and the crew returns on a different vehicle, this change should not automatically be considered a NASA mishap. They clarified, “Our big concern is having a successful deorbit burn and making…the propulsion system work just the way it needs to all the way through the deorbit burn and that’s why we are looking so closely at the thruster jets and even thinking about how the largest thrusters work.”

The issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system are primarily related to the spacecraft’s “service module,” which is essential for maneuvering the capsule away from the ISS and preparing it for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Many of the spacecraft’s thrusters have overheated, and helium leaks, used to pressurize the thrusters, seem to be related to their frequent use.

Regarding the astronauts’ return attire, Montalbano mentioned the possibility of the astronauts returning without suits in an emergency situation. He said, “Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator at NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, said the two astronauts could return unsuited in Crew-8 in the event of an emergency.” However, he assured that extra SpaceX flight suits would be sent up with the Crew-9 Dragon for their scheduled return. Montalbano clarified, “From a suits standpoint, they are really not interchangeable. You can’t have a Boeing suit in SpaceX or a SpaceX suit in a Boeing vehicle, so that would not be the plan. If the Starliner undocks and there’s only Dragon, they could come home unsuited in the Dragon…” He added, “Once Crew-9 gets there we’ll have suits,” ensuring, “They would come home suited on Crew-9.”