NASA and Boeing Delay Starliner Return to July 6 Amid Technical Issues

Jun 28, 2024, 12:55 PM

NASA and Boeing are facing significant delays with the return of the Starliner spacecraft, which has left astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on the International Space Station (ISS) longer than planned. Originally scheduled for an eight-day mission, the astronauts have now been in space for over three weeks due to technical issues with the Starliner's propulsion system and helium leaks. The return date has been postponed to July 6, but further testing and data analysis are required before a definitive schedule can be set. Compounding the situation, the ISS crew had to take emergency shelter in the Starliner and other spacecraft following the June 26 breakup of the non-operational Russian satellite RESURS-P1, which was decommissioned in 2022 and created over 100 pieces of trackable debris. Despite these challenges, NASA and Boeing officials assert that the astronauts are not stranded and are safe aboard the ISS. A media teleconference is scheduled for June 28 to provide further updates on the mission and station operations.