The life of two Boeing Starliner astronauts stuck indefinitely in space
Washington PostJul 20
Boeing Starliner Astronauts Could Remain on ISS Until 2025
Above: Boeing Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore (L) and Pilot Suni Williams walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building on June 05, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Image copyright: Joe Raedle/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
After thruster problems left two Boeing Starliner astronauts — Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore — stranded at the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said on Wednesday that the return of the pair may not take place until early 2025.
As the Starliner approached the ISS in June, it reportedly suffered loss of thruster power and helium leakage, affecting the propulsion system's pressurization. A NASA administrator has said that returning the astronauts on their Starliner remains the "prime option," as inquiries into the failure continue.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is another embarrassing incident for Boeing, as its extraterrestrial dreams fail to come to fruition. The Starliner incurred billions of dollars in unplanned expenses, has been fraught with technical issues, and is operating well behind schedule. As the company faces multiple crises regarding its manufacturing, SpaceX and other entities remain undefeated in private space travel.
Narrative B
The Starliner saga is a roadbump on the path to better space policy in the US. NASA would have to rely on Russia to transport astronauts if it were not for both SpaceX and Boeing, and fixed-cost contracts kept taxpayers off the hook for cost overruns at both firms. NASA has made able use of the private sector's innovation to deliver great successes, regardless of the unrepresentative outcome here.