NASA announced on Friday a third delay in the return of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS), citing ongoing technical issues encountered since its launch on June 5. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, aboard the Starliner, faced challenges including helium leaks and thruster failures during their mission. Originally slated to return on June 13, the spacecraft remains docked at the ISS’s Harmony module, which is now facing fuel constraints, necessitating a prompt return plan.
Amid concerns over the safe return of the astronauts, Boeing and NASA emphasized that despite challenges, the Starliner remains operational and the crew is in good health. Rebecca Regan, a user familiar with the situation, clarified on social media that the astronauts are not stranded and the spacecraft is performing well. Boeing’s Starliner program manager, Mark Nappi, highlighted the learning opportunities gained from the mission despite the setbacks.
HERE ARE SOME POSTS:
So did yall hear about those astronauts stuck in space on the 𝗕𝗼𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 Starliner .. 😐 pic.twitter.com/PUZJHI1xdk
— Alex™ (@_ItsAlexR) June 22, 2024
Boeing sucks so bad, and now 2 astronauts are stuck. WTF have they been doing with all that money we’ve been paying them for the jets and space craft that dont work? #auditBoeing https://t.co/DVIrJWDfLT
— TheAnomalousLibrarian (@AnomalyLibrary) June 20, 2024
The fact that in the midst 9f all kinds of scandal, Boeing has left astronauts stranded on the space station is amazing to me. https://t.co/7TCAhpqIIr
— Guy Shook (@ShookGuy1) June 21, 2024
HOW TERRIBLY DANGEROUS IS BOEING’S STARLINER? MAY NEED SPACE X TO RESCUE IT’S ASTRONAUTS FROM ISS
NASA has “delayed/postponed” return of Starliner “3 times” from June 18th (scheduled) to maybe 26th due to “helium leaks propulsion” & nobody at Boeing knows why/how to fix it.… pic.twitter.com/5ENpcdaYvc— AmericanTyranny (@NONbiasedly) June 22, 2024
Space expert Jonathan McDowell acknowledged the situation, noting that while manageable, the propulsion system issues need thorough investigation to ensure safety. NASA and Boeing are yet to announce a new return date but stressed their commitment to resolving the technical issues before bringing Wilmore and Williams back to Earth.
