the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, two astronauts who have been stuck in space weeks longer than planned remain optimistic about their safe return to Earth despite the ongoing issues with Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule. NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams expressed confidence during their first news conference from orbit on Wednesday.
Their predicament began last month when helium leaks and thruster failures were discovered on the new Starliner capsule. Despite these challenges, Williams stated, “I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem.”
Wilmore added, “We’re absolutely confident” that they will return safely once thruster testing is completed on Earth.
The Journey and the Challenges
Williams and Wilmore were the first astronauts to ride in the Starliner, which launched in early June. However, the technical problems have delayed their return, originally scheduled for June 14, extending their stay in space until at least late July.
The astronauts have taken the extra time in stride, assisting the International Space Station’s crew of seven. “This is a test flight,” Williams emphasized. “We were expecting to find some things, and so we are finding stuff and we’re correcting it, making changes, making updates.”
Efforts to Resolve the Issues
NASA and Boeing are working diligently to resolve the issues. This week, they are testing the Starliner’s thrusters on a new unit at a missile range in New Mexico, hoping to replicate and fix the problems.
Five thrusters failed as the capsule approached the space station on June 6, just a day after lift-off. So far, four of the five have been reactivated, which Wilmore believes should be enough to ensure their safe return. “That mantra you’ve heard, failure is not an option, that’s why we are staying here now,” he said. “We trust that the tests that we’re doing are the ones we need to do to get the right answers, to give us the data that we need to come back.”
Boeing’s Assurance
Boeing vice president Mark Nappi assured that if an emergency arose, the Starliner could carry its crew back immediately. The company remains confident that the thrusters are not damaged, stating, “We want to fill in the blanks and run this test to assure ourselves of that.”
Despite the helium leaks, officials have confirmed there is still plenty left for the journey home. Boeing has also denied that the astronauts are “stranded,” despite the unexpected issues surrounding the mission.
Broader Implications
Boeing’s recent troubles extend beyond the Starliner. The company’s commercial jets have faced numerous problems, including an incident earlier this year when a door plug blew off an Alaskan Boeing 737 Max-9 mid-flight. These ongoing issues have raised concerns about Boeing’s overall reliability.
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Time to ground this thing and move on. Billions wasted, but stuff happens.