Why are NASA astronauts delayed at the space station after the Boeing Starliner launch?

NEW YORK (AP) — When two veteran NASA astronauts blasted off on a Test drive of Boeing’s new capsuleThey expected to return home from the International Space Station within a week or so.

It’s now been three weeks and it’s still going strong Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams While NASA and Boeing are working to fix the problems Equipment problems Which popped up on the way there.

Three potential landing dates were canceled and the return flight was suspended. Friday, officials said There is no rush to get them home. More tests will be done first.

“I want to make it very clear that Butch and Sonny are not stuck in space,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager.

Astronauts can use the capsule if an emergency occurs on the space station and they need to escape quickly, Stitch said.

The long-awaited test flight is the first to carry astronauts, and Boeing will eventually join SpaceX in ferrying crews to and from the space station for NASA.

Why was the Starliner return flight postponed?

When the return flight was postponed, NASA said it wanted more time to analyze problems with the spacecraft’s propulsion system, which is used for maneuvering in flight. The propulsion system was attached to the capsule, but it did not return to Earth for examination. It was jettisoned during reentry and burned.

The space agency also said it did not want the departure to interfere with spacewalks. But the spacewalk scheduled for Monday was cancelled After water leaked from the astronaut’s suit While still inside the orbiting laboratory, the spacewalk scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed until the end of July while the leak is investigated.

What issues are being investigated?

Five of the capsule’s 28 propulsion engines failed during docking, as the capsule approached the space station. NASA said all but one of the engines had been restarted, and it worked during a subsequent test launch. Officials suspect that the heat from all the engines working during docking caused them to stop working. The only malfunctioning engine has been shut down.

More propulsion tests will be conducted on the ground before a return date is set, Stitch said.

The capsule launched on June 5 with a small helium leak, but four more had appeared by the time it reached the space station. Helium is used to boost the fuel pressure of the thrusters, and the initial leak was suspected to be due to a defective rubber seal. Officials say there is an ample supply of helium, and Boeing says the leaks are stable and not a cause for concern.

“We understand these issues around safe return, but we don’t understand these issues well enough to fix them permanently,” Boeing program manager Mark Nappi said.

What then?

Stich said the rocket test in the New Mexico desert will take a few weeks. Officials initially said the capsule could stay at the space station for 45 days because of its onboard batteries, but said Friday that could be extended.

Wilmore and Williams were involved in chores and research on the space station, along with their duties checking systems on the Boeing capsule. Both have previously spent time on the space station. NASA said there were plenty of supplies on the space station for the couple and the seven long-term residents.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Education Media Group. The Associated Press is solely responsible for all content.