Astronauts Trapped In Space Indefinitely – Teach Me Science

Space exploration is one of humanity’s main concerns, so they constantly strive to improve the artifacts they already have in order to continue the search for knowledge.

Boeing recently launched its first crewed mission into space: the Starliner spacecraft, carrying two people. They are astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams.

Boeing’s Starliner reusable spacecraft is designed to carry crew to the International Space Station. Its first crewed flight had been planned since 2017 but was delayed, and it was only this year, on June 5, that it successfully flew beyond Earth, docking with the International Space Station just one day after its release.

However, the mission did not go as planned as the astronauts became ‘stuck’ in space, which led to a series of speculations about the astronauts’ return to Earth, which was scheduled for June 14 this year.

Moments before the ship took off, helium leaks were discovered; However, on June 5, the spacecraft nevertheless flew from the platform at the Cape Canaveral Space Force station and docked with the Harmony module of the International Space Station the next day.

Although this mission was planned to last only a few days, the return of the ship carrying astronauts back to Earth is delayed due to technical glitches, leaving options open for astronauts Barry and Sunita to return to Earth, leaving the possibility that this mission will only last a few days. the mission becomes a rescue mission, and the SpaceX Dragon capsule becomes an alternative to allow them to return home.

If this option were to be implemented, it would be embarrassing for Boeing, since the company is in the midst of a hurricane, because this is not the first time that the problem has arisen with its ships, since with regard to its commercial ships, a number of problems have arisen that have caused serious damage to her reputation.

Moreover, the silence from Boeing and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has only led to more speculation, so we can only wait for the space agency or company to comment on the matter.

NASA currently has the astronauts scheduled to return to Earth on July 2, while they check out the ship to make sure everything is under control and the helium malfunctions they found remain minimal. However, that date is not a fact either, as the astronauts’ return was scheduled for June 26 of this year, and that too has been pushed back.

Boeing’s goal with its Starliner vehicle is to gain NASA certification, which, if successful, could make its first operational flight to the International Space Station in February 2025.