NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are facing an unexpected challenge after Boeing's troubled Starliner spacecraft was grounded. Initially set to bring them home from the International Space Station (ISS), the Starliner was pulled due to propulsion system issues. Now, Williams and Wilmore will depend on SpaceX's Crew Dragon as their emergency vehicle. However, NASA's commercial crew manager, Steve Stich, disclosed that the custom Starliner suits cannot be used in the Crew Dragon capsule.
Boeing's Starliner is scheduled to depart the ISS without any crew, returning to Earth after NASA deemed it too risky for astronauts. As a backup, a SpaceX Crew Dragon from the recent Crew-8 mission will remain docked at the ISS, serving as an emergency exit for Williams and Wilmore if needed. However, Stich revealed during a teleconference that the Starliner suits are not compatible with the Crew Dragon, posing an additional challenge. "In a temporary situation, we would not have suits for Butch and Suni on Dragon," he explained.
For those unfamiliar, both Boeing and SpaceX are tasked with transporting American astronauts to the ISS, but each uses its own spacecraft and suits. Williams and Wilmore, initially planned to return after a 7-day mission, have now been stranded on the ISS for months and are expected to remain until February 2025.
The Crew-8 spacecraft currently serves as the emergency option, with four astronauts on board—NASA's Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. In an emergency, Williams and Wilmore would be placed on the cargo pallet below Crew Dragon's seats alongside the Crew-8 astronauts.
However, Crew-8's role as a backup will be short-lived. SpaceX's Crew-9 mission is being fast-tracked to accommodate the stranded astronauts. Crew-9 will carry only two astronauts, making room for Williams and Wilmore. A SpaceX suit for Wilmore will be sent to the ISS on Crew-9, while Williams will use a SpaceX suit already aboard. Stich noted, "We do have one suit on orbit right now that fits Suni, and she's tried that suit on, and it fits well. That's a SpaceX suit." He added, "When we set up the contract, we let each of the contractors find their own suits and their own interface, and we're sending up a suit for Butch on Crew-9."
NASA's swift adjustments highlight the ongoing challenges and adaptability required in space missions, ensuring the safety and timely return of astronauts.
