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More delays for Starliner due to spacewalk issues and malfunctioning craft.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are indefinitely stranded at the ISS due to Starliner's faulty helium and thruster systems. Investigation ongoing.

Published June 24, 2024 at 12:39pm by Jonathan Limehouse


Boeing, NASA Delay Astronauts' Return from ISS Aboard Starliner Spacecraft

Boeing and NASA have once again delayed the return of astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Starliner spacecraft. The astronauts were scheduled to return on June 21 but will now remain in orbit until at least early July.

"We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process. We are letting the data drive our decision-making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking." – Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager

The delay is to accommodate two planned spacewalks and to address reported issues with the Starliner's propulsion system, including helium leaks and a malfunctioning thruster valve.

Read more: Boeing Starliner return delayed again for spacewalks, study of spacecraft issues