NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are waiting to return from space while officials urgently investigate the anomalies found in Boeing’s Starliner during its launch. As NASA seeks safe solutions for bringing the astronauts back to Earth, could the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) provide any assistance in this matter?
According to NASA, a final decision is expected on Saturday regarding whether Sunita Williams will return to Earth aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft or SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.
NASA’s press conference is set for 1 pm EDT, which corresponds to 10:30 pm IST. The conference will feature NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and other key leaders, who are currently discussing the return of Boeing’s Starliner. According to reports, Bill Nelson and NASA leaders will review the flight rationale during an internal Agency Test Flight Readiness Review at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, prior to the press conference.
What started as an eight-day mission on the International Space Station (ISS) has now stretched to over two months in space for Williams and Wilmore—the first astronauts to travel on the long-delayed Starliner.
Since the astronauts have been stranded on the ISS, NASA has been evaluating different options for their safe return. Last week, reports indicated that NASA was weighing the possibility of using the Starliner as originally planned or opting to bring them back aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were the first astronauts to journey aboard Boeing’s Starliner Crew Test mission, which began on June 5.