NASA’s two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded in space for months, have received more disappointing news. Their mission, originally expected to last just eight days, has now been extended indefinitely, and their return home will not take place until spring 2024. This extension will mark a staggering ten months since they first left Earth in June.
Wilmore, 61, and Williams, 58, departed the International Space Station (ISS) in June, with plans to return to Earth shortly after. However, their return was delayed when NASA decided to send the faulty Starliner capsule back to Earth empty in September. The spacecraft, developed by Boeing as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, faced numerous technical issues, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters. These setbacks caused the mission to drag on far longer than anticipated.
Originally, NASA had planned for the next crew of astronauts to launch in February, followed by Wilmore and Williams’ return at the end of that month. However, a recent announcement has revealed that the relief mission has been pushed back again. NASA confirmed that SpaceX, the private space company, needs more time to prepare a new, brand-new capsule for the mission. As a result, the astronauts’ return is now scheduled no earlier than late March 2024.
The decision to delay the mission further has been met with disappointment, particularly from the stranded astronauts, who have already endured months of isolation in space. At their 60-day mark earlier this year, many fans on social media expressed their concerns, calling the situation inhumane. One commentator wrote, “Stuck in space for 60 days with no known solution is torture. Why did you send those astronauts in the first place? Where is the Change.Org petition to bring them back?”
Another commenter expressed fear for their safety, writing, “Hope they come back alive and tell us about it. Nightmarish. Only happens in movies.” The delay has raised concerns about the toll this extended mission could take on Wilmore and Williams, especially as typical space missions last six months, with only a few missions exceeding that duration.
The spacecraft responsible for transporting the astronauts to the ISS, Boeing’s Starliner, has faced a series of technical failures. Despite its $4 billion development cost, the spacecraft has been plagued by issues, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions. Although the Starliner successfully delivered Wilmore and Williams to the ISS, further leaks and the failure of five out of its 28 thrusters during the mission raised serious questions about its reliability. This situation has been a significant embarrassment for Boeing, whose Starliner program has faced years of setbacks, while SpaceX has gained favour with its more reliable capsules.
According to a source close to Boeing, the situation has left employees feeling humiliated. “We have had so many embarrassments lately, we’re under a microscope. This just made it, like, 100 times worse,” the anonymous employee told the New York Post. “We hate SpaceX. We talk s*** about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out.”
The rivalry between Boeing and SpaceX has been well-documented. Both companies are part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, but while Boeing’s Starliner program has faced delays and failures, SpaceX’s capsules and rockets have been used on routine missions. This has led to some light-hearted comments on social media, with many suggesting that SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, should come to the rescue of the stranded astronauts. One user on X (formerly Twitter), owned by Musk, jokingly wrote, “How much is Elon going to charge for the Uber lift home?”
Despite the technical issues surrounding the Starliner, NASA has decided to wait for SpaceX’s new capsule, as officials noted that they prefer to have overlapping crews aboard the ISS for smoother transitions. NASA’s goal is to maintain a continuous presence on the space station, but with the delay in returning Wilmore and Williams, this schedule is now in jeopardy.
While both astronauts are accustomed to extended missions—both have previously spent months in space—the prolonged duration of this particular mission is beginning to raise concerns. Space station missions are usually capped at six months, with only a few exceptions lasting a full year. As the wait for their return continues, Wilmore and Williams face an uncertain future, as the technical challenges and delays show no signs of easing.
