NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were stuck in space for more than 6 months originally they planned to stay at International Space Station(ISS) for only 8 days and return to Earth by Boing Starliner spacecraft but due to some malfunction in the Starliner spacecraft. NASA is not confident that Starliner can safely bring them to Earth. So, the astronauts have to wait until another spacecraft flies from Earth and reaches ISS.
Time Line of Incident
NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore reached International Space Station (ISS) on 5th June by Boing Starliner spacecraft and planned to return to Earth after 8 days by the same spacecraft. However, their departure from ISS was delayed due leakage of helium and the thruster issue in the Starliner spacecraft.
On 24th August NASA informed that it is not safe for astronauts to return to Earth in the same spacecraft. So they have to stay in the ISS till February 2025 with the other two SpaceX astronauts Michael Barratt and Tracy Dyson. Meanwhile, Boing Startliner will return to Earth without astronauts.
Return Plan of Astronauts
There is a planned flight of SpaceX Dragon spacecraft called Crew-9 to ISS in September 2024 and it will return in February 2025 then astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth by this dragon spacecraft.
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Boing Starliner spacecraft
Boing Starliner is the only 2nd private spacecraft that is qualified to carry humans to the ISS. The most successful private spacecraft is the Dragon spacecraft of SpaceX which completed a total of 8 journeys to the ISS, its 9th journey Crew-9 will be launched in September 2024, and both astronauts will return to the Earth in February 2025 by using crew-9 spaceship.
Life on the International Space Station
Astronauts sleep in designed zero-gravity sleeping bags in a sleeping station. ISS is designed for a steady supply of oxygen. Food items and other essential items are sent from Earth to ISS from time to time to sustain life on ISS.
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