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NASA is working with Elon Musk\u2019s SpaceX on plans to return two astronauts to Earth in the event that they\u2019re unable to travel on the troubled Boeing Co. craft that initially carried them to space.<\/p>\n
NASA representatives announced the contingency plan Wednesday, saying astronauts Barry \u201cButch\u201d Wilmore<\/a> and Sunita \u201cSuni\u201d Williams could come back to Earth around February 2025 with a two-person crew on SpaceX\u2019s Crew-9 mission. That mission is slated to launch to the International Space Station in September.\u00a0<\/p>\n The agency said it needs to make a final decision in mid-August on whether to return the astronauts home on the Boeing spacecraft. The call may ultimately be made by NASA\u2019s Associate Administrator Jim Free or Bill Nelson, the agency\u2019s top official.\u00a0<\/p>\n Wilmore and Williams have been living<\/a> on the International Space Station since June 6, after launching on the inaugural crewed flight of Boeing\u2019s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n The mission is a critical test to determine if the vehicle is safe to regularly carry astronauts to and from orbit. Originally, the two astronauts were supposed to stay on the station for roughly a week, but have now been in orbit for two months.<\/p>\n If NASA decided to go the SpaceX route, Starliner would come home empty prior to Crew-9\u2019s launch.<\/p>\n \u201cOur chances of an uncrewed Starliner return has increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two,\u201d Ken Bowersox, NASA\u2019s associate administrator for space operations, said during a press conference. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re looking more closely at that option, to make sure that we can handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n Boeing\u2019s Starliner experienced a number of technical issues while attempting to dock with the space station, including helium leaks and a handful of thrusters that failed and had to be rebooted. NASA has been trying to determine if Starliner is safe to bring Wilmore and Williams home despite the thruster problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe still believe in Starliner\u2019s capability and its flight rationale,\u201d Boeing said in a statement after NASA\u2019s news conference. \u201cIf NASA decides to change the mission, we will take the actions necessary to configure Starliner for an uncrewed return.\u201d<\/p>\n If SpaceX is called upon to return Wilmore and Williams, it will be another embarrassing blow to the Starliner program, which has been plagued with technical issues for much of its development. It would also underscore the government\u2019s dependence on Musk\u2019s company, which has cemented itself as an essential partner of the US space program.<\/p>\n Prior to launching this test flight, Boeing\u2019s Starliner had suffered a botched uncrewed test mission in 2019, as well as significant delays and technical problems that had pushed back the current flight by seven years. Last week, Boeing announced an additional $125 million charge on Starliner, putting its cost overruns at $1.6 billion since 2016.<\/p>\n NASA and Boeing have been running tests and analysis while Starliner is docked with the space station to better understand why the thrusters failed.<\/p>\n The agency announced the results<\/a> of ground testing at NASA\u2019s White Sands Test Facility in late July, which indicated that overheating of seals made out of Teflon may be to blame for the thruster failures.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, NASA is concerned because \u201cwe can\u2019t totally prove with certainty what we\u2019re seeing on orbit is exactly what\u2019s been replicated on the ground,\u201d said Steve Stich<\/a>, program manager for the agency\u2019s Commercial Crew program.<\/p>\n NASA representatives indicated that people within NASA have disagreed over whether Starliner is safe to come home given the uncertainty, prompting an increased focus on the SpaceX contingency plan. One of the biggest concerns is that a combination of the helium leaks and thruster failures might occur as Starliner attempts to take itself out of orbit, leading to some loss of control of the vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cI think reasonable people could have different views on which path we should take,\u201d Bowersox said.<\/p>\n Over the coming days, NASA and Boeing personnel will collect more data, update software and lay out plans for how to conduct the multiple options for returning Wilmore and Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n Propulsion experts from NASA\u2019s various centers are helping the Starliner teams to go over the data to see if anything has been missed. Once all the data is compiled, the agency will conduct a formal review and make a recommendation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nRecommended Newsletter: <\/strong>CEO Daily provides key context for the news leaders need to know from across the world of business. Every weekday morning, more than 125,000 readers trust CEO Daily for insights about\u2013and from inside\u2013the C-suite. Subscribe Now<\/a>.<\/div>\n