NASA Astronauts to Return in SpaceX Capsule in 2025

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Facts

  • NASA on Saturday announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for over 80 days now, will return in February 2025.[1]
  • The astronauts will return in a SpaceX capsule after their Boeing Starliner malfunctioned while docking at the ISS.[2]
  • A NASA official said the decision to bring Starliner back to Earth empty was 'the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star.'[3]
  • This follows weeks of attempts to fix Starliner's problems, including helium leaks and thruster glitches.[1]
  • SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, on which Williams and Willmore will travel back, is scheduled to be launched on its ninth regular mission to the ISS on Sept. 24.[4]
  • While Boeing and SpaceX both won deals for NASA astronauts' space flights, the former's was reportedly worth $4.2B and the Elon Musk-led firm's was $2.6B.[5]

Sources: [1]CNN, [2]Sky News, [3]NASA, [4]CNBC and [5]BBC News.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by GulfToday. This decision underscores NASA's unwavering commitment to astronaut safety. It has ultimately prioritized crew welfare over other considerations. The space agency refused to risk the astronauts' lives on a potentially malfunctioning Starliner, which could have led to catastrophic outcomes.
  • Narrative B, as provided by New York Post. This has become a humiliating debacle for NASA and its Boeing subcontractor, exposing serious flaws in NASA's judgment and engineering. As much as this failure tarnishes Boeing's reputation, it also raises alarming questions about NASA's competence and decision-making processes, potentially jeopardizing future space exploration endeavors.
  • Narrative C, as provided by NPR Online News. This unexpected predicament is unimaginable but you've got to hand it to the astronauts. While they can handle changes as experienced professionals, their extended stay highlights the unpredictable nature of space travel and the personal sacrifices astronauts must make in the name of exploration.

Predictions