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NASA astronaut Sunita Williams will return to Earth in February 2025 due to delays in the Boeing Starliner mission.
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Williams and Butch Wilmore will return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft instead of the Starliner, which will return uncrewed.
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The Starliner mission was delayed due to faulty thrusters and helium leaks, posing a risk to the astronauts’ safe return.
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, along with Butch Wilmore, will return to Earth in February 2025. The initial 8-day mission has been delayed by 8 months due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The spacecraft suffered from faulty thrusters and helium leaks, making it unsafe for the astronauts to return on it.
Instead, NASA has decided to bring the astronauts back on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, ensuring their safe return. The Starliner will return to Earth uncrewed, and Boeing will continue working on resolving the issues once it’s safely back. This mission has hurt Boeing’s reputation, and it’s now a challenge for the new CEO to restore it.
The delay and change in plans highlight the importance of safety in space missions. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the risk posed by the Starliner’s propulsion system, leading to the decision to use the SpaceX Crew Dragon for the astronauts’ return.
“NASA has decided that Butch and Suni will return with Crew-9 next February.”@SenBillNelson and agency experts are discussing today’s decision on NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Watch live with us: https://t.co/M2ODFmLuTj pic.twitter.com/J2qvwOW4mU
— NASA (@NASA) August 24, 2024
