Instead of an eight-day mission, astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore actually spent a month in a space capsule attached to the International Space Station while engineers fixed Starliner problems, he wrote. Watchman.
It is not yet clear when the astronauts will be able to return to Earth. A Boeing spokesperson said they currently do not have a set return date and that they will analyze options after the spacewalk, but also noted that the crew is not pressed for time, as their supplies are secured.
The Starliner spacecraft launched into space on June 5 from Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida after two previous failed launches (on May 6 and June 1). The NASA-Boeing mission was already behind schedule, $1.5 billion over budget, and ran into problems long before the official launch, including problems with its thrusters and helium leaks.
A Boeing spokesman noted that the helium leak and most of the engine problems had been resolved and were not a concern for the return mission.
Four of the five previously stopped engines are now operating normally. This means that only one of the 27 engines is currently down. This is not a problem for the return mission
he added.
NASA and Boeing officials insist that the astronauts are not stranded in space and that technical difficulties do not jeopardize the mission. The spacecraft is ready to detach and return to Earth if there is an emergency or a quick departure is needed.
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