NASA's decision on Sunita Williams' return from Space Station still pending; may extend into early 2025

Instead of returning to Earth aboard Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule, Wilmore and Williams might instead hitch a ride on SpaceX’s next mission.

NASA announced on Wednesday that the decision on whether to keep astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams at the International Space Station (ISS) remains unresolved, with a possible extension “until early next year,” according to an Associated Press report. 

The report mentioned that instead of returning to Earth aboard Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule, Wilmore and Williams might instead hitch a ride on SpaceX’s next mission. This alternative would extend their stay at the ISS until February 2025. Last week, NASA confirmed that it is collaborating with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to plan the astronauts' return if the Boeing spacecraft is deemed unfit for their journey.

The test pilots initially expected to be away for just a week when they launched as the first crew aboard Boeing’s Starliner. However, after their early June launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the first manned mission for Boeing's commercial crew program encountered several setbacks, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. 

In recent weeks, astronauts have been conducting additional tests in space to address these issues – tasks that could not be carried out on Earth.

What are NASA officials saying?

NASA officials said they are reviewing more data before deciding, which is expected by the end of next week or the beginning of the following week. These thrusters are critical in maintaining the capsule's proper orientation during its descent from orbit. “We’ve got time available before we bring Starliner home and we want to use that time wisely,” said Ken Bowersox, NASA’s space operations mission chief.

NASA's safety chief Russ DeLoach added: “We don’t have enough insight and data to make some sort of simple, black-and-white calculation."

Switching to SpaceX would mean displacing two of the four astronauts currently scheduled for the next ferry flight, which is planned for late September. Once that six-month mission concludes, Wilmore and Williams would occupy the vacant seats in SpaceX's Dragon capsule.

What is the other complication?

The space station has only two docking spots available for US capsules, so Boeing's capsule must depart before SpaceX's Dragon arrives to clear one of the spots.

Boeing insists that Starliner is still capable of safely returning the astronauts to Earth. Earlier this month, the company released a list detailing the thruster tests conducted in space and on the ground since the launch.

NASA prefers to keep SpaceX’s current crew aboard the space station until their replacements arrive, unless an emergency arises, according to the Associated Press report. Initially set to return to Earth this month, the crew's mission was extended by a seventh month due to the uncertainty surrounding Starliner, keeping them at the station until the end of September. Typically, space station missions last six months, though some have extended to a full year.

Wilmore and Williams, both retired Navy captains, have previously spent months on the space station. Upon their arrival, they quickly adapted to station duties, assisting with experiments and repairs.