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NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule (apnews.com)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Well, technically they're stuck, because I don't think there's enough seats to get everyone home without the Boeing capsule, until a SpaceX one arrives in 6 months.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Yes, there's currently more crew than seats if you exclude the Starliner. In an emergency, I'm sure they could strap Wilmore and Williams into the Crew Dragon and/or Soyuz MS capsules somewhere, if they really had to. NASA likes to run every possible scenario, so I'm sure they already have a contingency plan for that.

Assuming they don't want to use the Starliner capsule for some reason. I haven't heard of any actual risk with using it.

Edit: I decided to actually read the article. They'd squeeze them into the Crew Dragon if they had to. And the problem with the Starliner isn't just helium leaks like I'd heard, it's also thruster seals swelling and blocking their own propellant. Thrusters are kind of important for attitude control.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Their backup plan is to have the extra 2 astronauts lie on the floor of the Crew Dragon and reenter without suits. Yep. That's still safer than Starliner.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They will have suits. There is a spare on the ISS, and Dragon will bring another one up. They covered that in the press conference.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

I meant for the 3 weeks between when Starliner leaves and the Crew 9 Dragon gets there.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

until a SpaceX one arrives in 6 months

Quick correction, the SpaceX Crew-9 is scheduled to depart in 6 months. It will arrive (with two empty seats) in September. So Suni and Butch will only be "stuck" for the few days between when Starliner undocks and when the Crew-9 capsule arrives.