Astronauts Stuck at the International Space Station

Astronauts who have been stranded at the International Space Station for more than a month are participating in a press conference today, Wednesday, to discuss their situation. Commander Barry Wilmore (Butch, 61) and pilot Sunita Williams (Suni, 58) launched on June 5 on the first crewed mission of Boeing's "Starliner" to orbit. After docking with the International Space Station, the astronauts were supposed to remain in orbit for eight days. However, the Starliner began experiencing issues and its return to Earth has been repeatedly delayed. Boeing insists that the astronauts are "not stuck," stating, "The risk will not increase when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth," according to Mark Nappi, the director of Boeing's commercial crew program. He emphasized that "Butch and Suni are not in any danger, nor are they committed to the station's standards." For its part, NASA reported that Wilmore and Williams are safe on the International Space Station with the "Expedition 71" crew, noting that the station has ample supplies in orbit and that its schedule is relatively open until mid-August. The "Starliner" can remain docked at the International Space Station for up to 45 days or up to 72 days in total, depending on backup systems. The "Starliner" issues follow years of delays and failed launches. In 2014, NASA asked both SpaceX and Boeing to develop crewed commercial capsules, but while the former successfully began transporting astronauts in 2020, this flight represents Boeing's first crewed launch. Boeing's losses in the Starliner program are believed to amount to approximately $1.5 billion.