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NASA says astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore could have safely returned to Earth on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft despite its technical issues.
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The spacecraft had thruster failures and helium leaks, but NASA believes the astronauts would have landed safely following the same procedure as the uncrewed flight.
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NASA stands by its decision to bring the spacecraft back uncrewed, citing uncertainty about the thruster performance and a commitment to safety.
NASA has revealed that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore could have safely returned to Earth on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which landed safely in Mexico last week. Despite technical issues with the spacecraft, including thruster failures and helium leaks, NASA believes the astronauts would have landed safely.
However, NASA decided to bring the spacecraft back uncrewed due to uncertainty about the thruster performance. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, stated that the decision was made based on the information available at the time and a commitment to safety.
Williams and Wilmore will now return to Earth on a future mission. They are currently on board the International Space Station, where Williams will celebrate her 59th birthday on September 19.
