The two astronauts stuck in space for over two months after problems with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft could have to stay there until 2025.
Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been stranded at the International Space Station, after propulsion system issues and helium leaks blew out their one-week mission.
NASA is now suggesting they may have to hitch home in February on a SpaceX craft.
Eric Berger from Ars Technica says this isn't ideal for Wilmore and Williams.
"NASA has been counting on Boeing to deliver a spacecraft that can bring people safely to and from space for a decade now - and this was supposed to be the mission where Boeing put it all together and delivered that."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks edb.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hey, tell me how big an issue was the Vanessa
and Boeing.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
It's a very big issue. It's probably the most consequential
human space like decision the Space Agency has faced since
the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia twenty one years ago.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
So where does things act?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well? NASA and Boeing has spent the last four or
five weeks conducting tests of the thrusters that have failed
on the Straliner spacecraft. They've been looking at data for
that and I expected in the coming week NASA will
ultimate make a decision on whether Butch will Moore and
Sonny Williams will come back on Straliner on Crew Dragon.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
So this is quite a major technical issue which has happened.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
It is, you know, these thrusters are They're not particularly powerful.
They're certainly less powerful than you know, like a car
engine or something like that. They're used to basically orient
the spacecraft as it flies through space and for additional
small bursts of thrust. The spacecraft does have bigger engines,
but if you lose these these thrusters, it's critical because
(01:25):
they're used to maneuver around and near the International Space Station,
so there is some slight risk that there could be
a problem. The spacecraft could actually run into the space station.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
So where is it sort of sitting now? Then?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, Starliner has been attached our dock to the National
Space Station for a couple of months.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
This is not ideal. So explain to me what these
options are to keep them back.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, so NASA could decide that they think that the
spacecraft is safe enough that there won't be significant issues
with the thrusters during the return trip to Earth, and
it's a short trip, it's about six hours once they
end docked from the space station. Or they could say now,
we're just not sure, and they would send star Liner
(02:12):
back autonomously, so it would fly itself, and Butch and
Sonny would stay on the station for another six months,
and NASA would send up an additional spacecraft, a Dragon
spacecraft with two people instead of four, and then Butch
and Sonny would take two of those seats for return
journey home next February.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
This is no ideal, is it.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Eric?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
When you hit off for an eight eight day you
know you peck for eight days and then you find
out that this is potentially you're going to be there
for six months or potentially longer.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Well, both Butch and Sonny live south of Houston, not
far from where I live, and so I'm sure their
families are not not thrilled about this. But they did,
they did sign up for it, and one of the
things they ultimately trained for was an extended to their mission.
But it's certainly not ideal because you know, NASA has
been counting on Boeing to deliver a starliner spacecraft that
(03:09):
can bring people safely to and from space for a
decade now, and this was supposed to be the mission
where that we're Boeing put all together and delivered that capability,
and that's obviously not happened.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
And I imagine if they send up a dragon ship
that's a SpaceX ship, that is also not a good
look for Boeing.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
That's extremely embarrassing for Boeing. You know, they were a
decade ago when these contracts were first awarded. Boweling was
the the gold plated, you know, industry leading standard company.
They were the big boys, and SpaceX was this startup company.
And a decade later, the roles are entirely reversed. So yeah,
(03:51):
the prospect of SpaceX launching a spacecraft to rescue astronauts
well Voeing spacecraft is this is a terrible look for
Boeing at a time when they're facing all sorts of
struggles in other areas, including their commercial aircraft business.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Have we heard from Butcher and Sonny? What messages are
they sending back home? How are they feeling about this?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Publicly, they're saying that everything's flying, you know, they're enjoying
their time in space. They're you know, they're ready to
fly home on Starliner if that's the call, and if
it's Dragon, they'll fly home on that. You know. Privately,
we really don't know what they're saying. But these are
smart people, very smart people. They're paying attention. I'm sure
(04:30):
they have more have shared their concerns with family members
and the crew back home. I mean, I do know
that one of the voices inside the Space Agency that
is dissenting against kind of back on Starliner is actually
the crew office, that's the astronaut office, It's Johnson's Space Center,
and so they would be certainly having some influence there is.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
The International Space Station prepared for visitors, not long term visitors, Eric,
if they got the supplies and things to be able
to look after them.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
It's a bit of a strain. But you National Space
Station is a big place, and then there have been
more than you know. These are two extra people on
board of this SICILI and there is the capacity for it,
and NASA can accommodate that by sending up additional food
and supplies on so various spacecraft that has to provision
(05:24):
the space station. But yes, it is a strain on
the facility.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Oh, fascinating stuff. Thank you so much for talking us
through that, Eric, appreciate that. Eric is the senior Space
editor at Ours Technica. I first spoke to Eric Becker
in twenty twenty one when he released his book Liftoff,
about the early days of Elon Musk and SpaceX. Obviously,
a lot has happened in that time, so he's written
a secreel sequel. It's called re Entry, and that is
(05:49):
releasing next month.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudken, listen
live to News Talks it B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks edb.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hey, tell me how big an issue was the Vanessa
and Boeing.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
It's a very big issue. It's probably the most consequential
human space like decision the Space Agency has faced since
the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia twenty one years ago.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
So where does things act?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well? NASA and Boeing has spent the last four or
five weeks conducting tests of the thrusters that have failed
on the Straliner spacecraft. They've been looking at data for
that and I expected in the coming week NASA will
ultimate make a decision on whether Butch will Moore and
Sonny Williams will come back on Straliner on Crew Dragon.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
So this is quite a major technical issue which has happened.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
It is, you know, these thrusters are They're not particularly powerful.
They're certainly less powerful than you know, like a car
engine or something like that. They're used to basically orient
the spacecraft as it flies through space and for additional
small bursts of thrust. The spacecraft does have bigger engines,
but if you lose these these thrusters, it's critical because
(01:25):
they're used to maneuver around and near the International Space Station,
so there is some slight risk that there could be
a problem. The spacecraft could actually run into the space station.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
So where is it sort of sitting now? Then?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, Starliner has been attached our dock to the National
Space Station for a couple of months.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
This is not ideal. So explain to me what these
options are to keep them back.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, so NASA could decide that they think that the
spacecraft is safe enough that there won't be significant issues
with the thrusters during the return trip to Earth, and
it's a short trip, it's about six hours once they
end docked from the space station. Or they could say now,
we're just not sure, and they would send star Liner
(02:12):
back autonomously, so it would fly itself, and Butch and
Sonny would stay on the station for another six months,
and NASA would send up an additional spacecraft, a Dragon
spacecraft with two people instead of four, and then Butch
and Sonny would take two of those seats for return
journey home next February.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
This is no ideal, is it.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Eric?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
When you hit off for an eight eight day you
know you peck for eight days and then you find
out that this is potentially you're going to be there
for six months or potentially longer.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Well, both Butch and Sonny live south of Houston, not
far from where I live, and so I'm sure their
families are not not thrilled about this. But they did,
they did sign up for it, and one of the
things they ultimately trained for was an extended to their mission.
But it's certainly not ideal because you know, NASA has
been counting on Boeing to deliver a starliner spacecraft that
(03:09):
can bring people safely to and from space for a
decade now, and this was supposed to be the mission
where that we're Boeing put all together and delivered that capability,
and that's obviously not happened.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
And I imagine if they send up a dragon ship
that's a SpaceX ship, that is also not a good
look for Boeing.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
That's extremely embarrassing for Boeing. You know, they were a
decade ago when these contracts were first awarded. Boweling was
the the gold plated, you know, industry leading standard company.
They were the big boys, and SpaceX was this startup company.
And a decade later, the roles are entirely reversed. So yeah,
(03:51):
the prospect of SpaceX launching a spacecraft to rescue astronauts
well Voeing spacecraft is this is a terrible look for
Boeing at a time when they're facing all sorts of
struggles in other areas, including their commercial aircraft business.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Have we heard from Butcher and Sonny? What messages are
they sending back home? How are they feeling about this?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Publicly, they're saying that everything's flying, you know, they're enjoying
their time in space. They're you know, they're ready to
fly home on Starliner if that's the call, and if
it's Dragon, they'll fly home on that. You know. Privately,
we really don't know what they're saying. But these are
smart people, very smart people. They're paying attention. I'm sure
(04:30):
they have more have shared their concerns with family members
and the crew back home. I mean, I do know
that one of the voices inside the Space Agency that
is dissenting against kind of back on Starliner is actually
the crew office, that's the astronaut office, It's Johnson's Space Center,
and so they would be certainly having some influence there is.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
The International Space Station prepared for visitors, not long term visitors, Eric,
if they got the supplies and things to be able
to look after them.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
It's a bit of a strain. But you National Space
Station is a big place, and then there have been
more than you know. These are two extra people on
board of this SICILI and there is the capacity for it,
and NASA can accommodate that by sending up additional food
and supplies on so various spacecraft that has to provision
(05:24):
the space station. But yes, it is a strain on
the facility.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Oh, fascinating stuff. Thank you so much for talking us
through that, Eric, appreciate that. Eric is the senior Space
editor at Ours Technica. I first spoke to Eric Becker
in twenty twenty one when he released his book Liftoff,
about the early days of Elon Musk and SpaceX. Obviously,
a lot has happened in that time, so he's written
a secreel sequel. It's called re Entry, and that is
(05:49):
releasing next month.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudken, listen
live to News Talks it B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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