NASA and Boeing engineers have assured that a decision is nearing on the best way to return Starliner crew members Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to Earth, but in the meantime, the astronauts appear to have a lot of catching up to do. Updated August 20The space agency is “putting their spare time in the orbital laboratory to good use” by having the astronauts carry out multiple scientific experiments, perform routine maintenance tasks, and prepare their roommates for spacewalks on the International Space Station. In addition, the two are currently collaborating on an ongoing study investigating the advantages and disadvantages of manufacturing fiber optic cables and gardening in microgravity.
Wilmore and Williams are not “stranded” in the classic sense of the word, but they have been on the ISS since June 6, well beyond the original eight-day itinerary. The engineers were there shortly after the first launch of Boeing’s Starliner from Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida. Some technical issues The problem was related to the spacecraft’s thruster system. Although it was able to dock safely with the ISS, NASA and Boeing experts have been testing the thrusters on Earth for the past few weeks and reviewing large amounts of data to determine the safest solution. At last check, mission leaders said they plan to “decide on a course of action by the end of August.” Hitchhiking It’s not yet clear whether they’ll be aboard one of SpaceX’s reusable Dragon spacecraft.
[Related: Boeing Starliner launches first crewed mission for NASA.]
But when they’re not working together on tasks such as monitoring Starliner’s flight systems and collecting performance data for engineers, Wilmore and Williams reportedly work together around the ISS as needed. Perfect Space Fiber-1 For example, the experiment aims to use new hardware and manufacturing techniques to better understand the nuances of manufacturing fiber optic cables in microgravity. Past studies have shown that optical fibers made in space are of better quality than those made on Earth because they aren’t degraded by gravity during manufacturing. Figuring out how to most efficiently manufacture fiber optic cables in space could one day improve communication systems for astronauts, enhance microgravity experiments on the International Space Station, and even improve remote sensing and communications arrays on Earth.
In addition to fiber optics, Starliner’s crew is also collaborating on two crop-related experiments, according to NASA. Plant Water Management 5 and 6These focus on using the physical properties of fluids, such as surface tension and wetting, as a way to provide adequate moisture and air to plants in space. Information gained from these tests could help design future horticultural systems specialized for low gravity environments, such as the ISS, lunar bases, and even Mars.
According to NASA, when astronauts aren’t working, they spend their free time emailing, calling, and video chatting with friends and family.Repair of urine treatment pumpAs already reported,
Meanwhile, NASA has said Wilmore and Williams could potentially replace two crew members on the upcoming (and Starliner-delayed) SpaceX Crew 9 mission, currently scheduled for September. If that happens, their journey, originally scheduled for eight days, could be extended until February 2025 — enough time for further problems with the urine treatment pumps to arise.
