Two astronauts were stranded on the International Space Station after their Boeing spacecraft malfunctioned. Due to an incompatibility with their spacesuits, they could stay there much longer than planned.
NASA told Fox News Digital that its Boeing spacesuits are designed for use with the company’s spacecraft, while SpaceX’s spacesuits are designed for use with its own Dragon spacecraft, which NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams may fly in on their descent back to Earth.
The two astronauts arrived on June 5 with the Starliner vehicle and were only supposed to stay until the middle of the month.
Authorities are discussing how to bring the rocket home safely after helium leaks and propulsion problems were discovered.
NASA LEADERS PROVIDE UPDATE ON STRANDED BOEING STARLINER ASTRONAUTS
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore aboard the Starliner before launch on June 5. (NASA/YouTube)
Both astronauts are “very familiar” with the International Space Station, said Russ DeLoach, NASA’s chief of safety and mission assurance. The Starliner test flight was the third mission to the ISS for both of them.
With the commercialization of space, NASA is no longer as involved in every aspect of mission and spacecraft design as it once was.
As a result, an incompatibility between the spacesuits developed by SpaceX and Boeing is said to have caused a problem with Wilmore and Williams’ return to Earth.
HOW AND WHEN BOEING STARLINER ASTRONAUTS STUCK IN SPACE CAN RETURN HOME
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft launches from Launch Pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 5 for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Paul Hennessy/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“The Boeing spacesuit is designed for the Starliner spacecraft, and the SpaceX spacesuit is designed for the Dragon spacecraft,” NASA told Fox News Digital. “Both were designed to fit each individual spacecraft.”
NASA did not confirm whether this issue will affect the astronauts’ return.
Fox News Digital has also contacted Boeing about this matter.
NASA Boeing Starliner launch was ‘spectacular’, mission went as planned until second day, astronauts say
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were the flight crew of Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which is currently recovering from a series of problems. (NASA)
On Saturday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and agency leaders will hold an internal review of the agency’s flight readiness related to the Boeing crew flight test. During the review, “all formal objections will be raised and resolved,” NASA said.
Following the test, NASA is expected to hold a live press conference at 1 p.m. at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The decision on the return of the Starliner spacecraft with astronauts to Earth is expected to be made on Saturday at the earliest.
According to NASA’s website, Wilmore and Williams will remain on the space station until the end of February 2025 if the decision is made to return the Starliner to Earth without a crew.
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NASA then plans to have the SpaceX Crew-9 mission travel to the space station with only two crew members instead of four in September, and Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to return to Earth with the two-person crew early next year.
Michael Ruiz of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
