NASA has made a significant decision regarding the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). The two astronauts, who have been stranded aboard the ISS since June 6, 2024, will be brought back to Earth using SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft instead of Boeing's Starliner, which has been plagued by technical issues.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced during a press conference that the Starliner will return to Earth uncrewed in September 2024, while the Crew Dragon will transport Wilmore and Williams back home in February 2025. The decision was made in light of safety concerns regarding the Starliner's propulsion system, which has experienced multiple failures.
This outcome is a blow to Boeing, which has faced scrutiny over the delayed development and ongoing issues with the Starliner program. NASA originally contracted both Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to develop spacecraft for transporting astronauts to the ISS, but SpaceX has successfully completed multiple missions, while Boeing's Starliner has yet to achieve a crewed flight.
