ISS crew faces extended stay as Starliner delays continue
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who are currently on the International Space Station (ISS), must remain patient. They were originally scheduled to stay in space until February, but their mission has been delayed again—now extending until the end of March or possibly even into April 2025. This delay is due to technical problems with the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft.
9:12 PM EST, December 18, 2024
The astronauts were supposed to return in July of this year, but initial technical issues with the Starliner forced an extension of their stay on the station until February of the following year. After further delays with the new capsule, their mission has been extended by at least two additional months.
According to NASA, there is no reason to worry about the crew's safety.
The space station is well-stocked with everything the crew needs, including food, water, clothing and oxygen—NASA stated in a statement.
Most missions to the ISS last about six months, but extensions up to a year are not uncommon. According to Dr. Simeon Barber from the UK's Open University, although Wilmore and Williams' situation is personally disappointing, it should not be operationally difficult for them.
I'm sure that they are already disappointed that they were going to miss Christmas back home with the folks. But this is only another two months on an already quite long mission, and I'm sure if you ask them, I'm sure they would tell you that the space station is where they love to be—explained Dr Barber in an interview with the BBC.
Dragon capsule delays
Issues with preparing the Dragon capsule developed by SpaceX also affected Wilmore and Williams' return. This new capsule was intended to transport a four-person NASA crew to the ISS in February next year.
Due to its delayed launch, NASA also postponed the crew rotation to avoid further disruptions to the mission schedule.
The agency indicated the flight would be ready no earlier than the end of March.
Only the new four-person crew that arrives at the ISS will be able to bring Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth. Astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksander Gorbunov will also be aboard the returning capsule.
Although NASA could have used the existing Dragon capsule, it decided to wait for a new model. The agency explains this decision as ensuring maximum safety for subsequent missions and maintaining the quality and reliability of flights.
