Safety Concerns! NASA Decides to Have SpaceX Bring the Astronauts Back | WPN World People News

On June 5, 2024, Boeing's 'Starliner' spacecraft carried two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). However, due to risks associated with the 'Starliner' itself, there was a predicament that it could not return the two astronauts to Earth.

On the 24th, NASA conducted a final review and, based on careful evaluation from various aspects, ultimately decided that SpaceX's 'Crew Dragon' spacecraft would be used to bring the two astronauts back to Earth. According to foreign media reports, a NASA official stated that although the decision does not meet the original expectations, to ensure the safety of the crew and the spacecraft, only Boeing's competitor, SpaceX, could carry out the contingency mission.

The report also mentioned that American astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing's 'Starliner' for its first manned test flight on June 5 and arrived at the International Space Station the following day. Due to issues such as helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, the return flight was delayed. Originally, they were only scheduled to stay at the ISS for eight days, but because Boeing has been unable to resolve the 'Starliner' malfunction issues, the two astronauts will continue to stay on the ISS for about 80 days.

NASA stated that the two astronauts are expected to return to Earth aboard the 'Crew Dragon' spacecraft in February 2025. Due to this incident, SpaceX will need to adjust the astronaut arrangements for the next mission to make room for these two astronauts to return to Earth.