NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore left on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) onboard a Boeing Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024.
Williams and Wilmore reached the ISS on June 6, 2024. They were reportedly expected to return on June 14. However, they are still stuck due to technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft.
The spacecraft is having trouble with its propulsion system which is used for the spacecraft’s movement. According to NASA officials, helium leaks and thruster failure delayed their journey back to Earth.
Since their arrival at the ISS, Starliner crew members have been attempting to identify the causes of the issues with the spacecraft and have been engaged in several experiments.
They arrived at the ISS on June 6 and their return has been planned and rescheduled thrice by NASA. They have now been in space for over 50 days.
While in space, Williams and Wilmore are exploring how to water plants in a weightless environment and taking part in ultrasound-assisted vein scans to understand the effects of microgravity on the human body.
The date on which the astronauts will return hasn’t been set yet, but the engineers have finally identified potential causes for the problems and additional tests will be conducted to verify their findings.