The two astronauts who launched for an eight-day voyage are now settling in for a possible extended stay in orbit 262 miles above earth — and have spoken to their families about the possibility that they won’t return home until 2025.
Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were piloting the maiden voyage of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, have been stuck in space for 63 days.
Both Wilmore, 61, and Williams, 58, have been in frequent contact their families as they await their ultimate fate. “Butch and Suni are ready to support whatever we need to do,” Dana Weigel, the Program manager for the International Space Station. “They’re prepared for whatever path that we go down.”
From the start, Starliner has faced serious mechanical issues in its propulsion system, ultimately stranding Whitmore and Williams at the International Space Station. In a media teleconference on Wednesday, NASA announced yet another delay in bringing them home — and made it clear that the astronauts may not return on Starliner at all.
Engineers are worried about the loss of control as Starliner returns to earth, and will conduct multiple tests in the coming weeks. If they determine that the risks are too high, Wilmore and Williams would have no choice but to hop on Space-X’s Crew-9 return flight in February 2025.
While NASA is warning about possible risks on Starliner, its manufacturer is insisting that a return flight would be safe for the astronauts. In a statement on Friday, Boeing maintained that returning in the craft would pose no risk to the astronauts.
“Boeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew,” the embattled company said in the statement. “We continue to support NASA’s requests for additional testing, data, analysis and reviews to affirm the spacecraft’s safe undocking and landing capabilities.”
Both Wilmore and Williams are veteran astronauts with several years of experience.
Williams, 58, was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions before piloting the Starliner. A former Navy pilot, she has logged more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft. On her two space missions, she has performed 7 spacewalks totaling more than 50 hours. She has spent more than 385 days in space. She is married with no children.
Wilmore, 61, is also a former Navy pilot. He joined NASA in 2000 and has conducted two previous space missions. He has spent more than 242 days in space and gone on four spacewalks. He is based in Houston with his wife and two daughters.
NASA says it will continue to conduct tests to decide the astronauts’ plans by the end of August.
