image source, Reuters
NASA has again delayed a decision on how to bring back to Earth two American astronauts trapped in space on a troubled Boeing Starliner mission.
A decision will be made by the end of August, the US space agency said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Astronauts love it, said NASA's chief astronaut Joe Hayes Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore “They go into tasks with full awareness of the various scenarios and outcomes that could become reality.”
He added that astronauts undergo rigorous training to ensure they are mentally and physically ready for the challenges that may arise on any mission.
“This mission is a test flight (…) They know that this task will not be perfect“, held.
“Human spaceflight is inherently dangerous, and as astronauts we accept that as part of the job,” he said.
NASA said the two astronauts were “very well” and headed into space in preparation for the dangerous mission.
Space agency officials also noted Astronauts' spacesuits are not appropriate Can be used if used on alternate spacecraft Starliner It is considered unsafe.
Williams and Wilmore set sail on 5 June International Space Station (ISS), and is expected to return after eight days.
But the Starliner spacecraft ran into trouble when its five thrusters shut down as it approached the ISS.
In addition, it lost helium, which pushes the fuel into the propulsion system.
These issues meant that Williams and Wilmore would remain aboard the ISS while engineers conducted a high-level technical review.
Using an alternate ship for your return SpaceX It starts in the last quarter of this year.
But they will most likely travel on a SpaceX flight as early as 2025.
The latter will change An eight-day mission in an eight-month journey.
Difficulties of change
image source, Good pictures
Changing the way astronauts return to Earth is no easy task.
Astronauts' spacesuits are not interchangeable, officials said.
If they return on a SpaceX flight this year, they will travel without Space X-specific suits, which could pose additional risks.
If they had flown in early 2025, there would have been time to provide appropriate clothing.
Simeon Barber, a space scientist at the Open University, told the BBC that he sees a return anyway. [una nave de] “SpaceX.”
“It appears that decision makers at NASA are not convinced that they can ensure a safe return,” he said.
Boeing He repeatedly stated that he had every confidence that the Starliner would be able to bring the two astronauts home safely.
At this Wednesday's briefing, officials promised a “significant discussion” at NASA about how to return the crew.
The company reiterated that it is “confident” that the Starliner will be able to carry astronauts and that they will not need to return to SpaceX.
Boeing and SpaceX received multi-million dollar contracts from NASA to provide their astronauts with commercial spaceflight.
So far, SpaceX has sent nine crewed flights into space for NASA, but this is Boeing's first crewed mission.
It would be a blow to Boeing if the two astronauts were forced to return aboard SpaceX wearing SpaceX suits.
US space agency officials also said they have consulted external propulsion system experts to analyze data from the complex craft.
Analysis will continue before NASA makes a decision.
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