Astronauts Await Earth Return After Extended Starliner Mission
The saga of the Boeing Starliner’s inaugural crewed flight test continues as astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who embarked on their orbital journey in June, are finally poised to return to Earth this month. Their highly anticipated homecoming is contingent upon the successful arrival of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission at the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled to launch next week.
The Crew-10 mission, composed of four spacefarers, will effectively pave the way for Williams and Wilmore to depart alongside the Crew-9 team. This elaborate plan, orchestrated by NASA over several months, involves the departing astronauts boarding a SpaceX Dragon capsule that has been docked at the ISS since September.
This orchestrated return mission stands in stark contrast to claims made by former President Donald Trump, who reportedly asserted that he had authorized SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to personally retrieve the astronauts. The reality, however, reflects a more intricate and collaborative effort involving NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX.
While the Crew-10 replacement mission is expected to reach the space station as early as Thursday morning, the Starliner astronauts’ return journey will not commence immediately. A period of handover activities will be necessary to ensure a smooth transition between the incoming and outgoing crews.
The extended stay of Williams and Wilmore in orbit was not initially planned. Their mission, originally intended to be a 10-day stay at the ISS, was designed to rigorously test the Starliner spacecraft, Boeing’s contender to join the SpaceX Dragon in transporting NASA astronauts to orbit.
However, unforeseen challenges arose shortly after launch. NASA discovered that the Starliner spacecraft had experienced multiple helium leaks and propulsion system issues, casting doubt on the spacecraft’s ability to safely return the astronauts to Earth.
Faced with these concerns, NASA officials engaged in extensive deliberation, ultimately deciding to alter the original return plan. Instead of entrusting Williams and Wilmore’s return to the Starliner, the agency opted to undock the empty vehicle for an autonomous landing in September in New Mexico.
This decision marked a significant shift in strategy, placing the astronauts’ return journey on the shoulders of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. Under NASA’s revised plan, announced in August, Williams and Wilmore would instead make their return journey aboard the Starliner’s potential future competitor.
The specific Dragon capsule selected for this mission, carrying the Crew-9 mission, has been docked at the ISS since late September. The Crew-9 mission, while designated as the ninth science rotation mission to the station under NASA’s commercial crew program, was unique in that it did not carry a full complement of four astronauts.
Astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were the sole members of the Crew-9 team, leaving two empty seats on the Dragon capsule specifically reserved for the Starliner astronauts upon the conclusion of their extended mission.
Before Williams and Wilmore can join the Crew-9 team for their return journey, they must await the arrival of the Crew-10 mission, their replacements. The Dragon capsule transporting the four-member Crew-10 is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA plans to provide comprehensive coverage of both the launch from Florida and the subsequent arrival of Crew-10 at the International Space Station. The launch date for the Crew-10 mission has experienced some fluctuations since December. Originally anticipated to launch in February, the launch was initially pushed to late March to allow SpaceX more time to prepare a new Dragon capsule for liftoff.
However, NASA subsequently reconsidered and decided to utilize a previously flown Dragon capsule named Endurance, moving the launch date back up to mid-March. The decision to use Endurance underscores NASA’s confidence in the reliability and safety of previously flown Dragon capsules.
Once the new astronauts arrive at the ISS, a period of handover activities will commence. These activities will involve familiarizing the Crew-10 team with the station’s operations, experiments, and safety procedures. After a few days of handover, Williams and Wilmore will join Crew-9 in the SpaceX Dragon to undock from the International Space Station.
While NASA has provided specific dates and times for the Crew-10 launch and arrival at the space station, the agency has yet to release a definitive date for the return of Crew-9. A NASA spokesperson indicated that additional information regarding the Crew-9 return timeline would be provided in the coming days.
Despite the lack of an official return date, astronaut Butch Wilmore previously suggested that the return voyage could potentially take place around March 19th. This tentative timeframe provides a glimpse into the potential timing of the astronauts’ long-awaited return to Earth.
The extended mission of Williams and Wilmore has been a testament to their adaptability, resilience, and commitment to the success of the Starliner program. While their journey has deviated from the original plan, their contributions to the testing and evaluation of the spacecraft have been invaluable.
Their eventual return to Earth will mark the culmination of a complex and challenging mission, one that has underscored the importance of collaboration, flexibility, and meticulous planning in the realm of space exploration. The entire space community is eagerly awaiting their safe return.
