NASA astronauts stranded on ISS: High-stakes Starliner malfunction

Two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, are currently on the International Space Station (ISS) due to a series of technical malfunctions with Boeing's Starliner capsule. The topic of their return to Earth was discussed during NASA's Wednesday conference.

Due to technical problems with Boeing's Starliner capsule, the crew had to remain in space for over a month. For a long time, NASA did not provide specific information on when Williams and Wilmore would return to Earth.

The astronauts were stranded in space due to damages that occurred as the capsule approached the space station. These issues included a helium leak and the failure of five out of 28 engines, attributed to damaged seals.

The agency explains that "various return options" are currently being considered. During the teleconference on August 7, it was confirmed that if SpaceX's Crew-9 spaceship were needed for the return of the Starliner crew, Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth in February 2025. No final decisions have been made yet on how exactly the stranded crew will return to Earth and when this will happen.

Ken Bowersox from NASA mentioned that this is a "new situation, but the agency has many options." He emphasized that there is no need to bring the crew back using Starliner. - We can retrieve the crew with another vehicle

One of the options, besides SpaceX's Crew-9, is also the Russian Soyuz.

Despite the challenging conditions, Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore strive to remain optimistic. - We are doing our utmost to maintain morale and efficiency during this unexpected situation - Williams said in one of the interviews. The delays in returning to Earth pose an additional technical and psychological challenge.

During the extended stay on the ISS, the crew engaged in a series of scientific experiments and daily activities necessary to keep the station in good technical condition. This helps them maintain activity and concentration, which is crucial in the challenging conditions of outer space.

The efforts of engineers and technicians are currently focused on identifying the causes of the malfunctions and making necessary repairs. The next steps include detailed tests of all capsule systems to ensure that similar issues do not occur in the future. NASA also plans to take additional measures, such as introducing more rigorous control protocols for future missions.

NASA has held several press conferences where representatives of the agency and Boeing assured their determination in solving Starliner's technical problems. During one of the conferences, a NASA spokesperson stated: "The safety of our crew is our number one priority; we will not rest until we bring them safely back to Earth."

The entire situation with the Starliner malfunction has a significant impact on future missions of NASA and Boeing. The extended stay of the astronauts on the ISS is an experience that provides valuable lessons on crisis management in space. In the future, the agencies plan to introduce additional procedures to enhance the safety of crewed missions.