Astronauts wait to return to Earth

NASA will decide in mid-August how and when to bring two astronauts – Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore – back from the International Space Station, possibly including a ride home in a SpaceX capsule, after repeatedly delaying their return aboard Boeing’s Starliner


Jun 5, 2024: Wilmore and Williams launch on eight-day mission aboard Boeing Starliner – Boeing’s first time launching astronauts

Jun 6: As Starliner approaches ISS, four helium leaks in propulsion system are detected.
Five of craft’s 28 thrusters also malfunction

Thrusters: Needed at flight’s end to keep capsule in right position for critical deorbit burn

Service module tanks: Four fuel, four oxidizer, and two pressurant tanks which use inert helium gas to push fuel into propulsion system

Forward docking system: To connect to ISS

 
United Launch Alliance Atlas V

CST-100 Starliner 

Crew module
Service module
Astronaut to scale 

International Space Station

Zvezda 
Nauka
Zarya
Russian modules

Kibo 
Destiny
Harmony 
Unity 
Columbus
U.S. / European / Japanese modules

Starliner docked with Harmony 


SpaceX return: Starliner will be cut loose. Once its docking port is empty, then SpaceX will launch Dragon capsule to fill that slot — in which Wilmore and Williams will ride back to earth


Sources: Associated Press, CNN, Financial Times, NASA
Picture: Getty Images
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