NASA to Rely on SpaceX to Bring Astronauts Home After Boeing Starliner Malfunction
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA announced Saturday that it will use SpaceX to bring home two astronauts stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since early June after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft experienced several midflight issues. The decision concludes months of uncertainty and internal tension within NASA regarding the safest return plan for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
The mission, initially intended to last just eight days, has now stretched into months due to significant problems with the Starliner capsule. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson addressed the issue, emphasizing the inherent risks of spaceflight, particularly during test missions. “Spaceflight is risky — even at its safest and most routine. A test flight is neither safe nor routine, and the decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring the Boeing Starliner home uncrewed is a result of a commitment to safety,” Nelson said during a news briefing.
The malfunctioning of the Starliner marks another setback for Boeing’s space ambitions, compounding years of delays and budget overruns. Before Wilmore and Williams launched, the program was already $1.5 billion over budget and significantly behind schedule. The capsule faced issues just as it approached the ISS on June 6, including the malfunctioning of five thrusters and a helium leak in its propulsion system.
After weeks of testing and analysis, NASA officials decided that returning the astronauts via the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule was the safest course of action. The two astronauts are expected to remain at the ISS for approximately six more months, with their return scheduled for February 2025, at the conclusion of the Crew-9 mission. This mission is slated to launch on September 24, 2024, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, transporting a new crew to the ISS while making room for Wilmore and Williams to return home.
Boeing’s Starliner, however, will return to Earth without a crew, likely in early September. In a statement following NASA’s decision, Boeing reiterated its focus on safety, stating, “We continue to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft. We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return.”
Despite Boeing’s confidence, NASA officials expressed unanimous agreement to rely on SpaceX. “There was just too much uncertainty in the prediction of the thrusters,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, highlighting the risks that led to the decision to leave Starliner uncrewed.
The Starliner’s issues have clouded Boeing’s efforts to secure NASA certification for regular missions, raising questions about the spacecraft’s future role in NASA’s plans. Both Boeing and SpaceX developed their spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, an initiative started in 2011 to foster private-sector development of space vehicles after the retirement of the Space Shuttle program.
NASA’s Associate Administrator Jim Free acknowledged the difficulties encountered during the mission but praised the efforts of the teams involved. “We are a learning organization,” Free said. “We’ll learn from this effort so that our crews, who are at the top of the pyramid on these missions, and their families can continue to know we’ve done that and we’ll always do our best.”
As NASA continues to evaluate the Starliner’s performance, SpaceX remains the agency’s primary partner for ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS, a role it has fulfilled since 2020.
