Boeing spacecraft malfunction leaves astronauts stranded in space

After years of delays, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft took off for the first time with a crew of two from Cape Canaveral Space Station, Florida, on June 5. During the 25-hour flight to the ISS, engineers discovered several helium leaks and thruster problems.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 13, after spending about a week aboard the ISS. The return was later postponed to June 26. Yesterday, NASA announced another postponement without setting a new date, raising questions about when the astronauts might return.

The mission management team is reviewing future return opportunities after two planned spacewalks to the space station on June 24 and July 2, NASA said. "We are taking the time to review and follow standard mission management procedures. Starliner is performing well in orbit, while docked to the space station," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. He said the extra time will provide valuable information to help improve the system for future missions.

The Starliner reentry module is docking with the ISS’s Harmony module. Meanwhile, NASA and Boeing engineers are assessing major hardware issues on the spacecraft, including five helium leaks in the spacecraft’s propulsion pressurization system and five thruster failures in the reaction control system. After firing the thrusters on June 15, the team found that most of the problems appeared to be at least partially resolved, although the exact causes of the problems remain unclear.

The limited fuel capacity of the Starliner allows it to dock with the ISS for only 45 days, so the chances of a safe return for astronauts on this ship are getting narrower.