NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the International Space Station on Boeing’s Starliner in June. [Courtesy: NASA]
Key Takeaways:
Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have remained on the ISS for nearly eight months, far exceeding their planned eight-day mission, due to persistent issues with their Starliner spacecraft, including helium leaks and degraded thrusters.
Contrary to recent political statements claiming the astronauts were abandoned, NASA had already established a plan in August to return them using a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which is currently docked at the ISS for this purpose.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon is currently the only certified American-made vehicle available for crew transport to and from the ISS, given Starliner's ongoing technical challenges and certification process. The astronauts are reported to be in good health and not stranded.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday enlisted SpaceX to “go get” Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose anticipated eight-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS) has lasted nearly eight months due to a litany of issues with the Starliner spacecraft.
Except…that was already the plan.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
