NASA will send two astronauts to the International Space Station to assist with the return of two stranded astronauts on the troubled Boeing Starliner.
Ongoing concerns with thruster troubles and helium leaks have been a persistent issue.
NASA announced on Friday that it will send only two astronauts on the next SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, instead of the planned four, to allow two stranded astronauts to return in February.
The decision was made by the agency to send the Boeing Starliner back to Earth without Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, as the capsule has experienced issues with thruster problems and helium leaks.
At the end of September, the space station will be joined by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson were removed from the mission to accommodate Williams and Wilmore on the return flight. NASA stated that Cardman and Wilson would be considered for future missions.
"NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston announced that NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba made the decision to fly Hague. Acaba had to balance flying a NASA crew member with previous spaceflight experience to command the flight, while ensuring NASA maintains an integrated crew with a Roscosmos cosmonaut who can operate their critical systems for continued, safe station operations."
Astronaut crews have been changed before, but it was a "difficult decision to adjust to since the crew had been trained as a team of four."
Our crew, who have been outstanding during training for the mission, have the utmost confidence in their abilities. Zena and Stephanie will continue to support their crewmates before launch, and they embody the essence of professional astronauts.
After the retirement of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 and the tragic disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003, which resulted in the death of all seven astronauts, the U.S. had relied on Russia to transport astronauts to the ISS.
SpaceX began taking astronauts to the space station with its rockets in 2020.
"Cardman stated, "I am deeply proud of our entire crew, and I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence. All four of us remain dedicated to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right.""
Nick and Alex will excel in their tasks on the International Space Station during Expedition 72, as stated by Wilson.
Gorbunov, an active-duty colonel in the U.S. Space Force, is set to embark on his first space mission.
us
You might also like
- Stunning images depict Colorado plane crash on golf course
- Family claims that an Indiana toddler died after consuming a pill found in a thrift store backpack.
- A Maine man was detained by jurors after trying to escape from the courthouse in handcuffs following his conviction.
- College leaders in the Universities of Wisconsin are now required to maintain neutrality on contentious matters.
- Officials report that a river otter attacked a mother and her child in Washington state, dragging the young child underwater.