NASA astronauts stranded on ISS due to Starliner malfunction

Two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, are currently on the ISS due to a malfunction. They were supposed to return a month ago. Their return date is unknown, but they remain hopeful for a positive resolution despite this.

Due to technical problems with Boeing's Starliner capsule, the two-person crew had to remain in space for over a month. So far, no specific return date to Earth has been given – the AP agency provided this information on Wednesday.

On June 6, the Starliner capsule delivered astronauts to the ISS as part of its first crewed flight. Since then, the capsule has remained docked there. According to the original plan, the astronauts should be on the ISS for no more than eight days.

On Wednesday, the first press conference of astronauts in orbit took place. During the conference, astronaut Suni Williams told journalists: "I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem." The astronauts expressed hope of returning to Earth after the ongoing technical tests are completed. They also added that they do not complain about the extra time spent in orbit and are happy to help the station crew.

During the Starliner flight, a series of malfunctions were detected, including a helium leak and failures in five out of 28 engines, which delayed the docking process. However, NASA and Boeing engineers assure that in an emergency situation, the Starliner can make the flight to Earth, but "under normal conditions," the malfunctions need to be fixed first. So far, four out of the five damaged engines have been activated.

Butch Wilmore, the second astronaut on the ISS, believes that the currently functioning engines should enable a return flight. "We trust that the tests we're conducting are necessary to get the right answers and provide us the data we need to come back."

A decade ago, NASA ordered the Starliner and SpaceX Dragon capsules, which are intended to transport astronauts from Earth to the space station. SpaceX transported astronauts for the first time in 2020. Boeing's first crewed flight has been repeatedly delayed.