NASA officials revealed new details during a briefing about the two astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station since June after their Boeing spacecraft failed.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmaur and Suni Williams arrived aboard Starliner on June 5 and were only supposed to stay there until the middle of the month.
Authorities are discussing how to get them home safely after discovering helium leaks and propulsion problems.
How and when can Boeing Starliner astronauts stranded in space get home?
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were among the flight crew on Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which is recovering from a series of problems. (NASA)
The astronauts are “very familiar” with the International Space Station, said Ross D. Loesch, head of NASA’s Safety and Mission Assurance Division. The Starliner test flight was the third mission to the International Space Station for each of them.
Authorities said the data analysis was still ongoing on Wednesday and was expected to be completed by the end of next week. A flight readiness review could begin then or the following week.
Authorities said last week that one option previously discussed was to send them home on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which will launch in September with two seats empty, leaving room for Wilmore and Williams to return in February 2025.
Authorities said Wednesday that option was still on the table, and that Starliner remained an emergency option.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams during NASA’s live video of their launch on June 5, 2024. (NASA)
If the agency approves a contingency plan, officials say, the Starliner would likely undock from the space station and return to Earth autonomously.
Astronauts say the launch of NASA and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was “amazing,” and the mission went as planned until the second day.
Boeing said it was confident the Starliner was safe enough to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth safely.
Boeing’s Starliner, created as part of its partnership with NASA, is scheduled to launch on June 5, 2024, for the first time with a crew. (NASA/YouTube)
NASA says it needs more time to analyze the spacecraft’s propulsion engines, which encountered problems during its first manned flight to the International Space Station.
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This is an evolving story.
Fox News’ Audrey Conklin, Charles Bell and Jonathan Seery contributed to this report.
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