NASA Postpones Return of Stranded Starliner Astronauts Until March

NASA is too stopped the return to Earth of Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, a astronauts stranded on the International Space Station after The Boeing Starliner capsule did not work in the middle of this year.

The astronauts arrived at the ISS in June. Its purpose was to test the full capabilities of the Starliner, including launch, launch, and return operations. The project was supposed to be done in a week. Five of the capsule’s 28 thrusters failed before re-entry with the ISS. Boeing also said that its technology could ensure the safe return of astronauts. However, NASA was skeptical and determined that the risk was too high. The organization gave the project to Images of SpaceX.

Elon Musk’s company launched the Crew-9 mission in September to, among other things, return Williams and Wilmore. Until now, the space shuttles have been planned back in February boarded the Crew Dragon rocket. However, NASA has announced that it expects the mission to return to Earth after the arrival of Crew-10, which will be sent at the end of March 2025 at the earliest.

The change will allow SpaceX and NASA engineers to complete the design of the new Dragon spacecraft, which will be delivered to the company’s facility in Florida early next month.

“Designing, assembling, testing, and final assembly of a new spacecraft is a complex task that requires a lot of attention,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. team to expand the Dragon fleet to support our operations and the flexibility of the station program and astronauts as we work together to complete the preparation of the new capsule for escape.”

NASA said the crews of Crew-9 and Crew-10 must complete a “handover period,” during which the ISS occupants share their experiences and knowledge with the new arrivals. This ensures the proper functioning of marine science experiments and maintenance of the orbital complex.

NASA and SpaceX experts have highlighted several ways to coordinate the next crew mission. He concluded that the March launch of Crew-10 was “the best way to meet NASA’s requirements and meet the space mission’s 2025 goals,” according to the agency’s press release.

Long haul

The ISS received two re-entry missions in November, ensuring the crew had enough food, water, clothing, and air. However, some experts have warned of potential dangers for Wilmore and Williams after more than nine months in space.

Scientists have been studying the effects of spaceflight on the human body since the 1970s. In the years since the first moon landing, that he has recognized the conditions such as bone loss, heart failure, eye problems, and the development of kidney stones.

Recent research from University College London they reveal that the structure and function of the kidneys can also be permanently damaged, although this is more difficult in the case of astronauts who travel far from the Earth, which is not the case on the ISS.

NASA says that crews on the ISS usually stay longer, about six months. It also adds that some astronauts have been working for a year to help with research on human adaptation to space, with the aim of exploring the future of the moon and Martians.

This article appeared first WIRED in Spanish and translated from Spanish.