NASA Requests Elon Musk’s SpaceX for Help, Announces Astronauts Stranded in Space for 80 Days Won’t Return Until February 2025 (Video)
NASA has requested assistance from Elon Musk‘s SpaceX after revealing that two Boeing Starliner astronauts, who have been stranded in space for 80 days, won’t return to Earth until February 2025. The announcement was made on Saturday, August 24, raising concerns about the extended stay.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams embarked on a NASA mission over two months ago aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, following NASA’s decision to award Boeing a multi-billion dollar contract for space missions, bypassing Musk’s SpaceX. However, the mission encountered serious technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks, which left the astronauts stranded.
NASA has now confirmed that Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth in February 2025, not aboard the faulty Starliner, but instead using SpaceX’s Dragon Crew-9 spacecraft. The Starliner will be brought back to Earth unmanned.
The veteran astronauts initially launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5 for what was intended to be an eight-day mission docked at the International Space Station. However, the mission’s technical difficulties have extended their stay well beyond the planned duration.
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1jMJgBaMEveGL
BREAKING: NASA has just announced that SpaceX will bring back the stranded astronauts from the International Space Station using their Dragon capsule.
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) August 24, 2024
Despite the challenges, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that the decision to delay the astronauts’ return was made with a strong commitment to safety. He also reassured the public that NASA remains confident the Starliner will successfully launch with a crew again in the future.
“This has not been an easy decision, but it is absolutely the right one,” said NASA Associate Administrator James Free.