Boeing’s much-anticipated astronaut venture concluded on Friday with a spacecraft descending earthward without any crew members. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had encountered a number of issues, such as faulty thrusters and helium loss, which prompted a reschedule of their return to Earth in February 2025.
The duo has spent most of their time in the cosmos, refining their routines and contemplating how their day-to-day lives will transform over the upcoming months. Notably, they expressed their determination to partake in the forthcoming November election, a privilege bound to their civil duties back on Earth.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams expressed their appreciation towards the swarm of Earthlings who had wished them well. They engaged in a candid Q&A, a first since their Boeing Starliner left the International Space Station (ISS), devoid of any human life on board.
Initially expected to complete a mission slightly over a week, the crew arrived on the ISS in June. However, unforeseen delays and technical difficulties have extended their voyage to an estimated eight-month-long engagement.
Wilmore shared his experience and involvement in assessing their spacecraft, fondly named Calypso. He acknowledged the challenging times they faced, and the bitter feeling of seeing their spacecraft leave without them, a situation neither had anticipated.
According to all reports, the Boeing Starliner only faced minor issues during its September 6 journey back to Earth. The true measure of the spacecraft’s flight-readiness and the program’s future steps hinge upon a thorough investigation, which might last until sometime in 2025.
NASA, on a Monday morning post on the platform ‘X’, clarified the source of some peculiar noises within the spacecraft: audio feedback. The presence of only one spacecraft certified to transport crews to and from the ISS means that Wilmore and Williams are set to miss significant events on Earth, including birthdays, Christmas, and even Election Day.
Never one to let earthly boundaries hinder them from substantial milestones, the dedicated astronauts will still take part in the national festivity. NASA has been allowing its spacemen to vote from space since 1997 while the ISS hovers 250 miles over Earth.
The voting process is like a futuristic dance of democracy in space. All required ballots are sent electronically to the orbiters. The eager astronauts then fill out their votes, and the filled forms are sent electronically back to Earth, landing safely in the inbox of the designated county clerk for processing.
In light of this, Wilmore stated with patriotic zeal, ‘I sent out my request for a ballot today’. He ensured the ballot would reach them in a few weeks and highlighted the crucial role of citizens in participating in the elections, even from a vantage point in space.
Keeping their well-being in mind amidst this unexpected extension, NASA ensures the astronauts remain fit by devoting plenty of time to exercise. As a concession to the mundane, they have even provided access to the SEC Network for weekend college football games.
Queried about any dissatisfaction with Boeing’s spacecraft operation, Wilmore rebutted with a firm ‘absolutely not’. He stressed the enormity and novelty of their mission, the unordinary feats they perform, and the fact that they are, indeed, human beings in space.
Despite the risks and inconsistencies, he recognized the remarkable efforts of the NASA team in making difficult tasks appear easy. He gave examples of such tasks including sending probing equipment beyond our solar system and obtaining samples from asteroids.
The crew is expected to return home no sooner than February via a SpaceX Dragon capsule. This invariably opens up the possibility of more delays. Wilmore and Williams are anticipated to join a crew scheduled for liftoff from Florida’s Space Coast later in October or September.
Originally, the SpaceX Crew-9 mission planned to ferry four astronauts to the ISS. But due to the unexpected stranding of the Boeing Starliner crew, the scheduled number has been halved to accommodate the unexpected guests.
While this situation is naturally rife with technical difficulties and unforeseen challenges, it also stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of our brave astronauts, and the tireless teams on Earth supporting them. As we continue to push the boundaries of space travel, we look forward to observing the progress of Boeing’s Starliner and the professional conduct of the astronauts on board.