NASA And Boeing Might Need SpaceX’s Help To Rescue Astronauts They Stranded In Space
SUMMARY
NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams are stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft encountered technical issues. Originally slated to return in June, their mission has now stretched into weeks with no clear return date. It just so happens that there is a spacecraft already docked at the ISS that could bring them home: the SpaceX Dragon. According to Eric Berger at Ars Technica, SpaceX is preparing for a scenario where Wilmore and Williams could return on either the Crew-8 or Crew-9 Dragon vehicles. However, despite the ongoing Starliner malfunctions, NASA has yet to request help from SpaceX, likely due to the political and reputational implications of admitting failure. Instead, NASA and Boeing continue to test thrusters and make excuses, with little media attention or pressure to expedite the astronauts' rescue.
