NASA's Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore barred from wearing Starliner suits in SpaceX's Dragon: Here’s why
- by Hindustan Times
- Sep 06, 2024
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Sep 06, 2024 11:24 AM IST
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Stranded on the ISS, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore must now depend on SpaceX's Crew Dragon for evacuation after Starliner left without them.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are facing an unexpected hurdle as Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft, now departing the ISS without its crew, leaves them stranded. Initially slated to bring them home in custom Starliner spacesuits, the troubled capsule has been grounded due to issues with its propulsion system.
Veteran NASA astronauts Sunita Williams (left) and Barry Wilmore (right) may think being stranded in space is "pretty grand" (ASSOCIATED PRESS/picture alliance )
The astronauts will now rely on SpaceX's Crew Dragon as an emergency vehicle, that is the plan. However, NASA's commercial crew manager Steve Stich revealed that the Starliner suits are incompatible with the Crew Dragon.
NASA astronauts can’t wear Starliner suits in SpaceX's Dragon
Boeing's troubled Starliner spacecraft is set to depart the International Space Station (ISS) empty on Friday, returning to Earth without astronauts after NASA deemed the risks too great. To ensure the safety of astronauts aboard the ISS, NASA has designated a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that recently flew the Crew-8 mission as an emergency evacuation vehicle.
This spacecraft will reportedly remain docked at the ISS for several weeks, providing a lifeline for astronauts Williams and Wilmore in case of an emergency. However, as per Stich who spoke to the reporters via teleconferencing, the suits that these astronauts are wearing are “not compatible” with SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. "So in a temporary situation, we would not have suits for Butch and Suni on Dragon," he explained as per Space.com
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