Summary NASA confirms stranded astronauts to return on SpaceX Dragon capsule due to Boeing Starliner issues. Astronauts will have to wait until February 2025 to return home. Special preparations by NASA and SpaceX are underway for the SpaceX Crew-9 mission launch next month.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has just confirmed that the pair of stranded astronauts onboard the International Space Station will return to Earth onboard a SpaceX capsule rather than the Boeing Starliner spacecraft the astronauts flew to space in. However, the astronauts will have to wait for a considerable amount of time as their return is not immediate. SpaceX to the rescue! After a lot of deliberation and months of waiting, nasa has just confirmed that two of their astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, currently stranded onboard the International Space Station (ISS), will be returning back to Earth onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
The reason for SpaceX getting involved is primarily because the Boeing Starliner spaceship that took the astronauts to space encountered a series of issues during the space-bound flight, which brought into question the ability of the spacecraft to safely bring the astronauts back to Earth. It could be another month before a software fix is delivered, delaying the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. While it is now confirmed that the Astronauts will return onboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule, as reported by NBC News , the Boeing Starliner spacecraft will now be flown back to Earth uncrewed due to safety concerns.
During a media press release, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated, "Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star.
I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work." A long..
.. long wait! Astronauts Williams and Willmore arrived at the ISS on June 6th for what was planned to be an eight-day mission.
While it is now settled that they will return onboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule, Williams and Willmore will have to wait until February 2025 to return . This would mean that the pair of astronauts will have to wait another six months before they can return home in February, a full eight months after they left for space. During their planned return journey, Williams and Willmore will also be accompanied by two crew members of SpaceX's own mission.
The SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the ISS is slated to launch next month, on September 24th. NASA said a return trip on Starliner remains the priority. Simple Flying has reached out to SpaceX to learn more about the details of this special mission.
Any response received will be updated into this article. Special preparations While details are yet to be finalized, NASA and SpaceX are collaborating on various aspects prior to the launch next month. Reports suggest that adjustments are being made to the Dragon capsule, including adjusting the manifest to facilitate additional cargo, seating reconfigurations, and the addition of Dragon-specific spacesuits for Willmore and Williams.
Furthermore, it is reported that NASA and SpaceX will now utilize the new facilities at Space ALunch Complex-40 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to launch the Crew-9 spacecraft..
