National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officials have announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), may return to Earth on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025, instead of Boeing’s Starliner as originally planned.
This decision was taken following ongoing safety evaluations of the Starliner spacecraft, which has encountered several technical issues.
The two astronauts were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, marking the spacecraft’s first crewed mission.
The mission was initially expected to last for around eight days, but it has been extended due to propulsion system problems on Starliner.
The issue on Starliner have also raised concerns about the spacecraft’s ability to safely return them to Earth as planned.
Reportedly, Boeing is conducting a rigorous testing campaign, including thruster failures and helium leaks, to address these problems.
If NASA decides to change Starliner’s mission, Boeing will configure the spacecraft for an uncrewed return that would be a setback for Boeing, that has faced several challenges in developing the Starliner, including management issues and engineering problems.