In a surprising turn of events, NASA’s Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are currently stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to a malfunction in the Boeing Starliner capsule that was supposed to bring them back to Earth. This unforeseen glitch has resulted in an extended stay for the astronauts in space, sparking widespread concern and a flurry of activity among NASA engineers and space enthusiasts alike.
The Launch and the Mission
The mission began on June 5th, when Williams and Wilmore embarked on what was supposed to be a week-long test flight to the ISS aboard the Boeing Starliner. This mission was particularly significant as it marked Boeing’s first crewed space launch after years of delays and setbacks. The goal was to test the Starliner capsule’s capabilities, ensuring it was fit for future manned missions.
However, what was initially planned as a short-term mission has now turned into an indefinite stay due to critical issues with the Starliner’s thrusters.
Technical Glitches and Extended Stay
During the journey, the astronauts encountered multiple problems with the Starliner capsule, the most severe being a malfunction in its thrusters. NASA and Boeing engineers discovered that some of the thrusters failed unexpectedly during the first phase of the journey. While engineers managed to fix four out of the five failed thrusters, one remains non-operational, creating a significant hurdle for the astronauts’ return trip.
Adding to the complications, a helium leak was detected in the rocket prior to the launch, and further leaks were identified during the flight. Helium is crucial as it pressurizes the thrusters’ fuel, and any leak can critically impact the capsule’s performance.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich said that we are in no hurry to bring the astronauts back. He said that NASA is considering increasing the maximum duration of the Starliner mission from 45 days to 90 days. On June 5, both astronauts left for the ISS aboard the Boeing Starliner capsule. This was Boeing’s first astronaut launch after years of delays and failures. This test flight was expected to last about a week.
Problems in spacewalk
Wilmore and Williams had enough time to check the capsule while connecting to the station. But due to a malfunction in the capsule’s thruster, NASA and Boeing had to delay the return flight while analyzing the problem. NASA is also facing problems in the astronauts’ spacewalk. This week, the spacewalk was canceled after water leaked from an astronaut’s spacesuit. The problem has not been resolved and next week’s proposed spacewalk has also been postponed.
Four thrusters fixed
According to the report, a helium leak was seen in the rocket before the Starliner flight. Several more leaks were seen during the flight. Helium is used to pressurize the fuel for the thrusters. NASA and Boeing are trying to better understand why some thrusters unexpectedly failed during the first phase of their journey. Four of the five failed thrusters have been fixed. However, one thruster is not expected to be fixed.
