NASA says astronauts stranded on the International Space Station must wait even longer to return dwelling.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had been presupposed to return after only a week once they took off in June.
Their keep was prolonged till February subsequent 12 months resulting from technical issues with the experimental Starliner spacecraft, constructed by Boeing.
Now, following a delay within the launch of a brand new capsule to the ISS, the pair will not return till late March or probably April.
NASA mentioned the delay poses no danger to astronauts.
In a press release, NASA mentioned: “The International Space Station just lately obtained two resupply flights in November and is effectively stocked with every thing the crew wants, together with meals, water, clothes and oxygen. Replenishment additionally carried particular objects for the crew to have a good time holidays aboard the orbital platform.”
Most area station missions final six months, whereas some attain a full 12 months. So extending Butch and Suni’s already anticipated keep in area should not be an issue, in line with Dr Simeon Barber of the Open University.
“I’m certain they’re already disenchanted that they had been going to overlook Christmas at dwelling with the folks. But that is solely two extra months in an already fairly lengthy mission, and I’m certain should you requested them, I’m certain they might positively let you know that the area station is the place they like to be,” he mentioned.
A brand new crew must launch earlier than Wilmore and Williams can return, and the following mission has been delayed by greater than a month, in line with the area company.
NASA’s subsequent four-person crew to the ISS was presupposed to launch in February 2025. The capsule carrying that crew was presupposed to be the one which introduced Butch and the Sunnis dwelling, in addition to NASA astronauts Nick Hague and cosmonaut Roscosmos Alexander Gorbunov as a part of the mission. regular crew rotation.
But there was a delay by non-public sector firm SpaceX in making ready a model new Dragon capsule for the mission. The flight is now anticipated to be prepared no sooner than the tip of March.
NASA mentioned it thought-about utilizing a unique SpaceX capsule to fly the substitute crew to maintain the flights on schedule.
But now he has determined that the best choice is to attend till the brand new capsule carries the following crew.
