On June 5, 2024, two astronauts went on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). But what should’ve been a mission for eight days has turned into over 160. Technical issues with the Boeing Starline spacecraft made it deemed too unsafe for further human use. So it was sent back to Earth with no pilot, leaving behind Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore. Despite being abandoned at the ISS with no way home until February 2025, the two Americans expressed bravery and optimism. However, photos of the pair left the public concerned about their welfare.
The Stranded Boeing Starliner Astronauts
In the concerning photo, the astronauts smile as they make a dinner of pizza and various condiments. Despite her cheerful expression, Williams looks notably thinner than when she left Earth in June.
According to Dr. Vinay Gupta, she is experiencing a “significant” caloric deficit. “What you’re seeing there in that picture is somebody that I think is experiencing the natural stresses of living at a very high altitude, even in a pressurized cabin, for extended periods,” he explained. In other words, the human body burns calories faster in space than on Earth. This can lead to muscle atrophy. “They’re intaking very high-calorie foods, as you can tell — cold cuts, and, you know, other meats, the proteins, but high-fat cold cuts — it’s not necessarily a balanced diet.”
What Went Wrong With the Boeing Starliner?
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center for Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 5, 2024
As the Starliner approached the ISS, NASA and Boeing noticed helium leaks and issues with the craft’s reaction control thrusters. After much deliberation, the Starliner was deemed short of NASA’s safety and performance requirements. That meant that the two astronauts had to join the upcoming Crew-9 mission and go home in 2025.
“Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. “We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We also will continue to gather more data about Starliner during the uncrewed return and improve the system for future flights to the space station.”
The Starliner’s Return to Earth
After three months in space, the Starliner returned to Earth in early September, according to Scientific American. “It was a great day to return Starliner, and it was great to have a successful undock, deorbit and landing of the vehicle,” said Steve Stich, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, during a postlanding press conference.
Stitch acknowledged “some tension in the room” during the final meeting that determined if the astronauts will be on the craft. “Boeing believed in the model that they had created that tried to predict thruster degradation for the rest of the flight…. The NASA team looked at the model and saw some limitations, and it really had to do with ‘Do we have confidence in the thrusters—and how much we could predict their degradation—from undock to the deorbit burn?’ And [we] could not get comfortable with that.”
An Overnight Hospital Stay
Public concern over Williams and Wilmore increased upon the recent arrival of four NASA astronauts: Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin. They were part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. After spending 200 days on the ISS, all four were rushed to the hospital with one kept overnight. NASA did not reveal the need for medical attention to protect the privacy of the individual.
“In Good Health,” According to NASA
After the public reacted to Williams’ apparent weight loss, NASA assured the public that atronauts are well-trained for long-duration missions. Furthermore, Williams and Wilmore are extremely experienced, having both been to orbit twice in the past.
“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health,” NASA said in a statement to USA Today.
The Purpose of the International Space Station
“For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth,” according to NASA. “The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.” By long-duration spaceflight, NASA is referring to the Artemis campaign, which involves future exploration of Mars.
More About the Upcoming Crew-9 Mission
At the end of September, the SpaceX Dragon arrived at the ISS with two Crew-9 spacefarers: Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Two other atronauts, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, were removed from the team to make room for Williams and Wilmore’s return flight. As of now, the four atronauts will arrive on Earth in February 2025. In the meantime, they are conducting science experiments and maintaining the station to prepare for future space expeditions.
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