In a turn of events that has left the space community on tenterhooks, two NASA astronauts have found themselves stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to a series of technical mishaps with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.

Astronauts Barry Wilmore, 61, and Sunita Williams, 58, have been floating about the ISS since their launch from Florida on June 6. Their mission, intended to last just over a week, involved the first crewed docking of the Starliner. However, nearly 50 days later, they remain in space due to unexpected technical issues.

Barry Wilmore (61) and Sunita Williams (58) Photo by NASA

The trouble began with delays in the undocking of Boeing’s capsule, primarily due to faulty thrusters. Matters were further complicated by a series of helium leaks, raising significant safety concerns. Now, Wilmore and Williams are left waiting for NASA and Boeing to devise a solution, with engineers struggling to diagnose the exact problems.

Despite various tentative dates set for the Starliner’s return, no concrete schedule has been established. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, Steve Stich, recently provided an update, stating that while progress has been made, they are not ready to announce a definitive return date.

“We don’t have a major announcement today regarding a return date. We’re making great progress, but we’re just not quite ready to do that,” Stich explained. “Our focus today is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. I think we’re starting to close in on those final pieces of the rationale to ensure we can come home safely, and that’s our primary focus right now. We’ll come home when we’re ready.”

Boeing and NASA have been diligently testing the problematic thrusters. A spare thruster has been extensively examined in the New Mexico desert to unravel the issues occurring up in space. Stich mentioned that further analysis of the test results is ongoing, with a NASA review scheduled for the first week of August. Wilmore and Williams will have to wait until this review is complete before any decisions on their return can be made.

Meanwhile, NASA is also considering alternative options, including bringing the astronauts back on another spacecraft. For now, Wilmore and Williams are safe on the ISS, according to Stich’s statements to Sky News.

Before these issues arose, NASA had assessed the Starliner as suitable for a 45-day stay. Given the current situation, this period has been exceeded. Nonetheless, NASA has assured that the Starliner is viable for up to 90 days and, if necessary, can support the astronauts for 21 more days beyond that.

Stich emphasised that there are sufficient supplies and resources on the ISS, and no immediate risks to the crew’s safety. As the world watches closely, the resolution of these technical challenges remains the top priority for NASA and Boeing, with the safe return of the astronauts being the ultimate goal.