NASA representatives announced that two astronauts who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on the Boeing Starliner can return home on the SpaceX. This option is being considered in case the Starliner remains unsafe for flights, Reuters reports.
The American space agency is discussing with SpaceX whether to leave two seats on Crew Dragon, which is coming soon to launch to the ISS. These places could take Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who were the crew of the Starliner.
Initially, Wilmore and Williams were scheduled to spend eight days at the station. But those plans have been marred by problems with the Starliner’s engines, which cast doubt on the craft’s ability to safely return to Earth.
A representative of Boeing has already said that if NASA decides to abandon the use of the ship, the company “will take the necessary steps to configure the Starliner for an unmanned return.”
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Using SpaceX to return astronauts to Earth will be a real blow to Boeing, which has struggled for years to become a competitor to Elon Musk’s company.
At the moment, Boeing has stayed on the ISS for 63 days out of the maximum possible 90 days for its stay on the station. It is docked at the same dock that the SpaceX ship should use to dock.
The Starliner mission was the final stage of testing for NASA certification for flights to and from the ISS. Crew Dragon has been approved by NASA for astronaut flights in 2020.
The development of the Boeing craft stalled due to management and engineering problems. Since 2016, the company has spent $1.6 billion on Starliner development, including $125 million spent on the test mission.
Starliner’s first manned test mission was troubled from the start. The ship, with two astronauts on board, launched from Cape Canaveral on June 5. Initially, it was planned that the mission would be short and take about a week. Its purpose was to finalize Starliner’s certification for routine crew and cargo transportation to and from the International Space Station. But the helium leak that delayed the launch resulted in five leaks and four failed engines already in orbit.
Although the capsule managed to dock with the ISS under manual control, it “did not get stuck” at the dock, according to NASA.
Also Read: The Boeing Starliner Crew is Stuck on the ISS: When will the astronauts be returned to earth
