Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore’s Return Delayed Until 2025: Boeing Starliner to Return Uncrewed

NASA announced on Saturday that the Boeing Starliner spacecraft will return to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams aboard. Originally part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, the two astronauts have been on the International Space Station (ISS) since June. However, due to safety concerns, they will now return in February 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

This decision allows NASA and Boeing to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Starliner’s performance during its uncrewed return to Earth, scheduled for early September. The move follows the discovery of helium leaks and issues with the spacecraft’s reaction control thrusters during its approach to the ISS on June 6. Since then, extensive data reviews, testing, and independent safety assessments have been carried out.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that the decision to keep Wilmore and Williams on the ISS and return the Starliner uncrewed underscores NASA’s commitment to safety. “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. The choice to bring the Starliner home without a crew is a testament to our dedication to safety as our core value,” Nelson stated, praising the collaborative efforts of NASA and Boeing teams.

Ken Bowersox, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, acknowledged the significant learning opportunities provided by the Starliner’s journey and docked operations. He emphasized the importance of gathering further data during the uncrewed return for the success of future missions. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need for heightened certainty in crewed missions and ongoing improvements to the spacecraft’s systems.

Wilmore and Williams will continue their scientific research, maintenance, and system testing on the ISS as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew. They will eventually return to Earth with two other crew members from SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission in February 2025.