SpaceX will return stranded astronauts in February 2025, NASA announces

Friday, August 30, 2024 

On Saturday, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) announced at press conference that Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore would return home from the International Space Station (ISS) on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in February 2025. The Boeing Starliner, the spacecraft which had been expected to transport the crew from ISS earlier in June, would return to Earth "un-crewed" -- on autopilot with planned landing in a desert in New Mexico -- possibly next month, the NASA announcement said.

On its way to the ISS, Starliner has experienced helium leaks and several thruster malfunctions, which, according to National Public Radio (NPR, "inexplicably conked out as Starliner approached the station.". Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said they didn't know if Starliner's thrusters would fail at critical moments. The Starliner test flight was Boeing’s first crewed space mission; three previous attempts for this crewed mission had failed.

The two NASA astronauts had been launched during Starliner's crewed test flight on June 5 for what was expected to be an eight-day long mission to the ISS. A successful mission is a requirement to certify Starliner for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Due to the change of plans, the astronauts would remain at ISS for several months as part of Expedition 71/72.

Boeing wrote on social media about its commitment to safety and to cooperation with NASA, as they were continuing "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."

The Crew Dragon would carry two astronauts to the ISS instead of the planned 4 to allow room for Williams and Wilmore, NASA announced.

NASA said that SpaceX would reportedly leave Earth in September for the planned Crew-9 mission, with a change of plans to have only two crew on board, so that the remaining two free seats will be available for the stranded astronauts to return on Earth in February.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon—certified in 2020—will undergo some changes before launching on September 24. The preparation to bring Williams and Wilmore home to their families includes additional cargo, adjusting the seats for the Dragon, and Dragon-specific spacesuits for the two astronauts. The preparation also adds in a contingency plan, providing the two a flight home on the Crew-8 spacecraft.

To date, SpaceX had completed nine crewed flights to space for NASA and several commercial flights, BBC reported.

• Abbey A. Donaldson. "NASA, SpaceX Extend US Media Deadline for Crew-9 Launch to Station" — NASA, August 28, 2024
• Marcia Dunn. "NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule" — Associated Press, August 25, 2024
• Hollie Cole, Rebecca Morelle and Greg Brosnan. "NASA will bring stranded astronauts back on SpaceX — not Boeing's Starliner" — BBC, August 24, 2024
• Nell Greenfieldboyce. "NASA will bring stranded astronauts back on SpaceX — not Boeing's Starliner" — NPR, August 24, 2024
• Jessica Taveau. "NASA Decides to Bring Starliner Spacecraft Back to Earth Without Crew" — NASA, August 24, 2024
• Gary Daines. "FAQ: NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Return Status" — NASA, August 20, 2024
• Marcia Dunn. "Boeing launches NASA astronauts for the first time after years of delays" — Associated Press, June 5, 2024
• Marcia Dunn. "Boeing is on the verge of launching astronauts aboard new capsule, the latest entry to space travel" — Associated Press, May 4, 2024