NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will remain at the International Space Station with no set return date as engineers work on technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The astronauts were supposed to return after a week-long test mission in early June, but delays due to faulty thrusters and helium leaks have prevented their departure.
Boeing has reported that most of the thruster problems and helium leaks have been stabilized and pose no threat to the return mission, with only one thruster currently offline out of 27. NASA and Boeing officials have assured that the astronauts are not stranded and the mission is not in jeopardy.
Although tests have shown the capsule is safe for emergency evacuation, NASA has not yet scheduled a return date as engineers continue to investigate and address the technical issues with the spacecraft. Backup options, including using other capsules, are being considered to ensure the safe return of the astronauts.
Recent testing of a spare thruster in the New Mexico desert has been completed, with further analysis needed to fully understand the root cause of the problems. Officials have indicated that the issues may be related to degraded seals but further analysis is required.
This is not the first time the Starliner mission has faced technical challenges, with previous delays caused by reaction control thruster problems and helium leaks before its launch. NASA and Boeing are working together to ensure the safe return of the astronauts and resolve the technical issues with the spacecraft.
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