Simply earlier than NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams headed to the Starliner spacecraft on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral in Florida in June final yr, they are going to have in all probability mentioned one thing to their household and pals alongside the traces of: “See you subsequent week.”
That’s as a result of their keep aboard the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) was scheduled to final eight days in what was the primary crewed flight of the Starliner. However the mission took an surprising flip when the spacecraft developed a number of technical points on the way in which to the ISS. Thankfully, the capsule managed to dock, and Wilmore and Williams had been in a position to safely board the ISS. Nonetheless, after weeks of making an attempt to resolve the problems, it was finally determined that, out of an abundance of warning, the Starliner could be introduced dwelling empty.
This left officers having to resolve precisely easy methods to get Wilmore and Williams again to Earth.
Please allow Javascript to view this content material
After a lot deliberation, it was finally determined that the pair must hitch a journey on the returning SpaceX Crew Dragon carrying the Crew-9 astronauts, in February. However then, in December, NASA introduced that Crew-9 wouldn’t be coming dwelling till March on the earliest.
In some of the exceptional astronaut missions of current years, Wilmore and Williams’ orbital journey has now lasted 233 days — 225 greater than initially deliberate.
“You need to flip the web page and take a look at the subsequent alternative,” Williams mentioned of the surprising state of affairs again in September. “We’re truly excited to fly in two completely different spacecraft … We’re testers”
Decided to remain upbeat about every thing, Wilmore commented that he and Williams had been “very lucky” to have the ability to stay on the house station for an prolonged interval and to have a back-up choice within the pipeline, declaring how there have been “many instances prior to now the place there haven’t been different choices.”
Notably, the pair are staying in orbit for manner longer than most astronaut missions to the ISS, which normally final round six months, with their journey on the right track to span 9 months.
Nonetheless, they’ve loads of scientific analysis to be getting on with, and in a workspace that has window views like no different.
