Summary NASA opts for SpaceX Crew Dragon to bring astronauts home due to safety concerns on Starliner. Starliner will return uncrewed next month, with astronauts stranded on ISS until February. Risk and safety are at the forefront as NASA continues to support Starliner for future crewed flights.
With the Boeing Starliner now set to make its return to Earth uncrewed, questions are being asked about the spacecraft's feasibility moving forward. NASA has stressed that its trust in Boeing remains, noting that its decision to opt for SpaceX's capsule was driven by "uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence" on Starliner's safety. Starliner will not attempt manned return Yesterday, NASA announced that Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will come home in a Crew Dragon scheduled for February 2025, with Starliner due to return to Earth next month without a crew.
The two NASA astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) will be there for approximately another six months, while Starliner will attempt an uncrewed return to Earth some time in early September. Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, commented, "Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test." It should be reminded that the current Starliner mission is a test flight, and when two lives are at stake, it seems NASA is erring o.