Source of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Senior NASA officials will convene on Saturday to determine whether Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is safe enough to bring astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth from the International Space Station.that NASA is set to make a crucial decision this weekend regarding the safety of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station to Earth.
The incident led to extensive testing, both in space and on the ground, as well as data reviews and modeling by engineers to determine the root cause of the thruster problems. The current hypothesis is that the thrusters overheated, causing Teflon seals to bulge and obstruct the flow of propellant to the control jets, resulting in a loss of thrust. The condition of the thrusters seemingly improved once Starliner docked at the station and the thrusters were no longer firing repeatedly.
If NASA managers deem the risk unacceptable, Wilmore and Williams would have to extend their stay on the ISS until at least February 2024, when they would return to Earth in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. While this alternative eliminates the potential threat posed by Starliner’s thruster issues, it comes with several complications.
The FRR, chaired by former astronaut and head of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Ken Bowersox, will commence on Saturday morning. If no unanimous agreement is reached during the meeting, the final decision could be escalated to NASA’s associate administrator, Jim Free, or even to administrator Bill Nelson.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NASA will shut down NASA TV on cable to focus on NASA+Mariella Moon has been a night editor for Engadget since 2013, covering everything from consumer technology and video games to strange little robots that could operate on the human body from the inside one day. She has a special affinity for space, its technologies and its mysteries, though, and has interviewed astronauts for Engadget.
Read more »
NASA's SpaceX Rescue Plan May See Boeing Astronauts Stranded 8 MonthsThe Best in Science News and Amazing Breakthroughs
Read more »
Countdown To Escape: NASA and Boeing To Decide Starliner’s FateScience, Space and Technology News 2024
Read more »
How NASA Plans to Rescue Artemis Astronauts in EmergenciesScience, Space and Technology News 2024
Read more »
NASA to decide stranded Starliner astronauts' route home by end of monthNASA needs to decide by the end of August whether to return two astronauts to Earth aboard Boeing's Starliner, which flew them to the International Space Station (ISS), or bring them home on a SpaceX craft, officials said Wednesday.
Read more »
NASA to decide stranded Starliner astronauts' route home by end of monthNASA says the two stranded astronauts are 'doing their best', but their main concern is with the propulsion system.
Read more »