Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams in spacecraft attached to International Space Station as engineers fix problem

Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams in spacecraft attached to International Space Station as engineers fix problem

Boeing’s public relations crisis is now out of this world: the company’s Starliner spacecraft – and the two astronauts onboard – is currently stuck in space.

After what started as an eight-day mission, US astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have now spent the better part of a month on their space capsule attached to the International Space Station as engineers work out the problems with Starliner.

It remains unclear when exactly the astronauts will be able to make their return to Earth. A Boeing spokesperson told the Guardian they have “adjusted the return of Starliner Crew Flight Test until after two planned spacewalks on Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, July 2” and that they “currently do not have a date for the return, and will evaluate opportunities after the spacewalks”.

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The spacecraft is cleared to undock and return to Earth if there’s an emergency or need for a quick departure.

  • BigFig@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    4 days ago

    They are not “stuck in space”, they are delayed while they collect data about the leaks and other possible malfunctions because those parts being studied are either going to be detached and become space junk or burned up in atmosphere.

    They are not “on board” the starliner capsule, they are on board the ISS and are just fine, part of the ever shifting crew of the ISS until said research is done.

  • towerful@programming.dev
    0·
    4 days ago

    Even spacex had delays for return on their first crew dragon. I’m pretty sure shuttles have had delays as well.
    Granted, Boeing seems to have had more trouble overall.

    Anyway, seems like these things happen.

    • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
      0·
      4 days ago

      If your boss ordered you to stay late at work but said “oh, if there’s an emergency you can leave,” I’d say you were stuck at work

      • Today@lemmy.world
        0·
        4 days ago

        But if your boss asked you to drive a company car to Cleveland and then that car broke down, we wouldn’t say you were stuck in a car in Cleveland.