NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Stay on ISS Until February 2025
NASA has announced that it is currently too risky to bring astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams back to Earth. As a result, Boeing’s Starliner capsule will return without the two astronauts.
Wilmore and Williams will continue their work on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew until February 2025. They will return to Earth aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members from SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson explained that spaceflight is inherently risky, especially during test flights. The decision to keep the astronauts on the ISS and bring the Starliner back uncrewed reflects NASA’s commitment to safety.
NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and issues with the spacecraft’s reaction control thrusters as the Starliner approached the ISS in June. Since then, engineering teams have conducted extensive reviews and tests to address these problems.
The uncrewed return of the Starliner will allow NASA and Boeing to gather more testing data while minimizing risks to the crew.
Doubts Revealed
NASA -: NASA stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is the United States government agency responsible for space exploration and research.
Astronauts -: Astronauts are people trained to travel and work in space. They conduct experiments and help with missions on spacecraft and space stations.
Sunita Williams -: Sunita Williams is an astronaut of Indian-American descent. She has spent a lot of time in space and is known for her work on the International Space Station (ISS).
Butch Wilmore -: Butch Wilmore is another astronaut who works with NASA. He has also spent time on the ISS and has been part of several space missions.
ISS -: ISS stands for the International Space Station. It is a large spacecraft that orbits Earth, where astronauts live and work for months at a time.
Boeing’s Starliner -: Boeing’s Starliner is a spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to and from the ISS. It is made by Boeing, a big company that makes airplanes and spacecraft.
Dragon spacecraft -: The Dragon spacecraft is another type of spacecraft used to transport astronauts and cargo to the ISS. It is made by SpaceX, a company founded by Elon Musk.
Bill Nelson -: Bill Nelson is the Administrator of NASA. He is responsible for overseeing all of NASA’s activities and missions.
Helium leaks -: Helium leaks refer to the escape of helium gas from the spacecraft. This can be dangerous because it can affect the spacecraft’s systems.
Thruster problems -: Thruster problems mean there are issues with the small engines that help the spacecraft move and change direction. These problems need to be fixed to ensure safe travel.