The 2 NASA astronauts stranded on the Worldwide Area Station now have their trip house. On Sept. 29, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS, and it is all set to deliver them again to Earth in early 2025.
It follows Boeing’s faulty Starliner capsule leaving astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore stranded in area when, for security causes, it took off with out them to land again at White Sands Area Harbor in New Mexico on Sept. 6.
This is what’s subsequent for the 2 seasoned astronauts caught on the ISS, in addition to NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who joined them on board the area station final weekend.
Who’re the astronauts?
Wilmore, 61, and Williams, 58, are veteran astronauts, each naval officers and former take a look at pilots. Williams has been a NASA astronaut since 1998, and Wilmore since 2000. Each have loads of expertise in area.
Williams is the previous document holder for many spacewalks by a lady (seven) and most spacewalk time for a lady (50 hours, 40 minutes), and in 2007, she ran the primary marathon by any individual in area.
In 2009, Wilmore piloted the Area Shuttle Atlantis on its mission to the ISS, and in 2014, he was a part of the ISS crew that used a 3D printer to fabricate a software — a ratchet wrench — in area, the primary time people manufactured one thing off-world.
Wilmore and Williams aren’t the one two astronauts stranded in area, both — this week, the 4 members of NASA’s Crew-8 bought caught when Hurricane Milton delayed their return house. Crew-8 consists of three NASA astronauts — Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps — and one Roscosmos cosmonaut, Alexander Grebenkin. They had been initially scheduled to return on Oct. 7, however have been delayed from departing the ISS till 3:05 a.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 13, on the earliest.
What are the astronauts saying?
Throughout a stay information convention in September, Williams mentioned that regardless of understanding their mission was scheduled to take solely eight days, they’d each been “coaching for quite a lot of years” for it. They’re totally certified to stay in area for an prolonged time frame, and to assist pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that’ll deliver them house subsequent 12 months.
“It is very peaceable up right here,” Williams mentioned on Sept. 13, although she added that they miss their households again on Earth.
The astronauts are engaged on analysis, upkeep and information evaluation throughout their prolonged keep. Additionally they intend to vote from area within the November presidential election.
“We’re having a good time right here on ISS,” Williams mentioned in a information convention held from orbit in July. “I am not complaining. Butch is not complaining that we’re up right here for a few additional weeks.”
Wilmore and Williams responding to media questions again in March.
What was their unique mission in area?
Wilmore, as commander, and Williams, as pilot, traveled to the ISS on a 15-foot-wide, Boeing-made capsule known as Starliner. They launched on June 5 and docked with the ISS on June 6. NASA hopes Starliner will give the group a brand new option to get crews to and from the ISS, and the truth that it is Boeing-made is one other signal that NASA is beginning to lean on the non-public sector for its human spaceflight choices, The New York Occasions reported.
Wilmore and Williams’ ISS mission was presupposed to final a mere eight days, throughout which they’d take a look at out facets of Starliner and see the way it operates with a human crew in area. However as a consequence of issues with Starliner, the 2 astronauts are nonetheless up there and will not be again earlier than 2025. They’ve stored busy — working with the ISS Expedition 71 crew to carry out analysis and upkeep actions, NASA mentioned.
How did they get caught in area?
The Starliner was delayed in Could as a consequence of an issue with a valve within the rocket. Then engineers needed to repair a helium leak. That is all unhealthy information for Boeing. It is competing with SpaceX, which has been transporting astronauts to the ISS since 2020, making over 20 profitable journeys to the area station.
Starliner lastly launched, atop an Atlas V rocket, on June 5, however some issues got here together with it. NASA introduced that three helium leaks had been recognized, certainly one of which was recognized earlier than flight, and two new ones. Along with the leaks, the crew needed to troubleshoot failed management thrusters, although the craft was in a position to efficiently dock with the ISS.
SpaceX has had failures too. A Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launchpad in 2016. In July, a Falcon 9 rocket skilled a liquid oxygen leak and deployed its satellites within the incorrect orbit, The New York Occasions reported. And a Falcon 9 rocket final week misplaced a first-stage booster when it toppled over into the Atlantic Ocean and caught hearth.
However that mentioned, SpaceX has greater than 300 profitable Falcon 9 flights to its credit score.
When and the way are the astronauts coming house?
NASA was fast to emphasise that the astronauts aren’t in any hazard.
“There is no such thing as a rush to deliver (the) crew house,” NASA mentioned in a press release final month. “It is a lesson realized from the area shuttle Columbia accident. Our NASA and Boeing groups are poring over information from further in-space and floor testing and evaluation, offering mission managers information to make one of the best, most secure resolution on how and when to return crew house.”
NASA mentioned on Aug. 24 that it had determined to return Starliner to Earth with no crew, and the spacecraft landed safely in New Mexico on Sept. 6.
Wilmore and Williams might be introduced house on the SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft early subsequent 12 months and “will proceed their work formally as a part of the Expedition 71/72 crew by means of February 2025,” the area company mentioned in a press release. “They are going to fly house aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two different crew members assigned to the company’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission.”
4 crew members had been initially scheduled to be on board at launch, however two stayed behind to make room for Wilmore and Williams’ return journey.
“Spaceflight is dangerous, even at its most secure and most routine,” NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson mentioned in a press release on Aug. 24. “A take a look at flight, by nature, is neither protected, nor routine. The choice to maintain Butch and Suni aboard the Worldwide Area Station and convey Boeing’s Starliner house uncrewed is the results of our dedication to security: our core worth and our North Star.”
Caught in area: a timeline
- Could: Starliner launch delayed as a consequence of an issue with a valve within the rocket, after which a helium leak.
- June 5: Starliner launches with Williams and Wilmore on board.
- June 6: Starliner docks with ISS regardless of coping with three helium leaks and failed management thrusters.
- Sept. 6: Starliner departs ISS and lands in New Mexico, leaving Williams and Wilmore behind.
- Sept. 28: SpaceX Crew-9 mission launches with Hague and Gorbunov on a Dragon spacecraft.
- Sept. 29: SpaceX Dragon docks with ISS.
- February 2025 onward: SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will return to Earth with Williams, Wilmore, Hague and Gorbunov.
