In response to widespread rumours suggesting that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are effectively stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical glitches, NASA and Boeing’s officials have categorically dismissed such claims, ensuring that both astronauts are in no immediate danger and that their return is being meticulously orchestrated.
The source of worry was attributed to potential helium leaks in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which carried the duo to the ISS earlier in the month. Nonetheless, in a recent press briefing, NASA representatives confidently declared the situation well in hand.
Steve Stich, who heads NASA’s commercial crew program, made it explicitly clear: “We’re not in any rush to come home.” He underscored the ISS’s safety: “The station is a nice, safe place to stop and take our time to work through the vehicle and make sure we’re ready to come home.”
As a display of caution, both NASA and Boeing meticulously review the Starliner’s propulsion system’s performance before proceeding with the journey back to Earth.
Moreover, the mission’s timeline has been further extended due to a newly identified water leak within a service and cooling umbilical unit, which prematurely concluded a spacewalk on June 24. NASA has rescheduled the next spacewalk for the end of July, allowing the ground crew sufficient time to resolve the leakage issue and guarantee the astronauts’ safety.
Though initially planned as an eight-day mission, the astronauts’ tenure on the ISS has been extended considerably. Nonetheless, NASA has confirmed that the spacecraft is well-stocked with essential supplies to support the astronauts throughout this period.
NASA has also noted, “The spacecraft requires seven hours to perform a normal end-of-mission and “currently has enough helium left in its tanks to support 70 hours of free flight activity after undocking.”