Elon Musk to Help NASA Rescue Astronauts Stranded in Space

At 400 kilometers above the Earth, two NASA astronauts, Barry Eugene Wilmore and Sunita Williams, find themselves unexpectedly: they have been in space for 65 days after the ship that was supposed to bring them back had to return due to technical problems. So Elon Musk and his company SpaceX can bring them back.

It was supposed to be a short eight-day trip to the International Space Station (ISS), but technical problems with Boeing’s Starliner capsule complicated matters, and so the solution could be X’s owner company.

Wilmore and Williams’ mission, which launched in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner, was a critical test flight for NASA’s commercial crew program. The spacecraft, which is set to become the next regular vehicle to the ISS, was designed to demonstrate its ability to safely transport and return astronauts. However, shortly after docking with the ISS, technical problems began to arise that cast doubt on Starliner’s ability to complete its mission.

One of the major problems discovered was a series of failures in the ship’s engines, which caused the crew to abort the first attempt to return. In addition, helium leaks were detected, which further aggravated the situation.

Despite Boeing and NASA’s efforts to address these issues, tests were conducted both on the spacecraft docked to the ISS and on replica engines at NASA’s White Sands facility in New Mexico. were unable to provide guarantees of safe return.

Given the uncertainty and risks associated with using Starliner to return astronauts, NASA has begun to seriously consider an alternative: Let’s turn to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, which has been successfully carrying out manned flights to the ISS since 2020. and could be the key to solving this technical problem and returning astronauts to Earth.

The plan, which is still being evaluated, calls for Wilmore and Williams to return in a Crew Dragon capsule that will launch in February 2025 as part of the Crew-9 mission.The mission, originally intended to carry four astronauts to the ISS, could see its crew reduced to two to make room for Wilmore and Williams.

Although this decision implies a significant extension of the astronauts’ stay on the ISS, This is seen as a safe and viable option given Starliner’s technical difficulties.

A final decision on whether to use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has not yet been made, but it is currently the best option. If NASA chooses to do so, Starliner could return to Earth without a crew on an unmanned flight planned for September 2024. The flight will allow Boeing to continue assessing and troubleshooting the spacecraft without putting astronauts at risk.

Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams continue to play an active role in decision-making and testing on the ISS. According to Joe Hayes, head of the astronaut office at Johnson Space Center, both astronauts are prepared for this long mission. “They knew this was a test flight and that there were different scenarios that could be found,” Haje explained. emphasizing the physical and psychological preparation of astronauts for action in risky situations.

NASA, for its part, continues to evaluate all possible options. Russ DeLoach, head of NASA’s mission safety and assurance office, said that while it is unlikely, Starliner could be used in the event of an extreme emergency. However, This option is considered a last resort given the seriousness of the technical problems facing the ship.