Following weeks of deliberation, NASA, the US space agency, has finally made a decision. In February 2025, two of its astronauts—Sunita Williams and Buch Wilmore—will make a return trip in SpaceX’s Dragon after participating in an eight-day test flight of Boeing’s Starliner shuttle. Serious problems occurred with Boeing’s Starliner, particularly with its propellers, eight of which had recently failed. Boeing and NASA had attempted to resolve the issue, but NASA was unsure how to rescue the two stranded astronauts.
Williams and Wilmore will thus have to wait for SpaceX’s subsequent taxi ride. Two of its four seats will be vacant when it travels to the International Space Station in September.In the meantime, Boeing’s Starliner will return to autopilot and land in the US state of New Mexico. That is, if its malfunctioning propellers allow it to survive the arduous re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. NASA was unwilling to take a chance by sending Williams and Wilmore on the mission. If something went wrong, the Starliner might have burned itself, drifted off, or become isolated in space. Furthermore, the two astronauts’ lives would have been in jeopardy in each situation.
Also Read:
WHO Requests $135 Million to Fight the Mpox Outbreak
Rupee to Rise as Traders Watch Powell’s Signals Regarding Interest Rate Reductions
