MELBOURNE: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were meant to go to the International Space Station (ISS) on a roughly 10-day mission. Instead, they have been “stuck” there since June, as the reliability of their spacecraft - Boeing Starliner - has not met NASA’s strict standards for crewed flight.

After two months of testing, NASA has now made the call that Starliner will return to Earth in September without astronauts aboard.

This will enable both NASA and Boeing to monitor the craft carefully as it separates from the ISS and makes its way home. Because human life is part of the equation, the data gathered from this flight will inform required changes for Starliner to be certified for crewed flight.

As for Wilmore and Williams, they will remain aboard the ISS until February 2025, replacing two of the upcoming Crew 9 astronauts.

With the ISS only operating for another five to six yearsmaxgaming, Boeing’s role in the programme now remains unclear.

In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore (left) and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on Jun 13, 2024. (NASA via AP, File)

• with
• maxgaming
• Even
• Astronauts
• Commentary