1 month ago
When NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore group disconnected to nan International Space Station (ISS) successful June, nan brace expected to beryllium backmost location conscionable 8 days later.
However, nan astronauts are now stranded connected nan ISS owed to Boeing's faulty Starliner - and person received nan horrifying news that they mightiness not travel backmost to Earth until February 2025.
NASA has revealed a contingency scheme that could motorboat a SpaceX's Crew-9 ngo successful September, but still wouldn't bring nan unit location until months later.
On societal media, concerned fans person reacted pinch scary astatine nan situation, calling nan hold 'torture'.
And for many, nan thought of being trapped connected nan ISS is simply a terrifying idea, pinch 1 commenter simply writing: 'New nightmare unlocked'.
When NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore group disconnected to nan International Space Station (ISS) successful June, nan brace expected to beryllium backmost location conscionable 8 days later. However, nan astronauts are now stranded connected nan ISS owed to Boeing's faulty Starliner - and person received nan horrifying news that they mightiness not travel backmost to Earth until February 2025
On X, formerly Twitter, galore commenters wrote that being trapped successful abstraction for illustration Williams and Wilmore was a 'nightmare'
Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, flew to nan ISS astatine nan opening of June connected committee a Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
However, problems including helium leaks and thruster failures began to look arsenic nan spacecraft approached nan ISS.
Thankfully, nan brace managed to dock to nan ISS safely, but nan problems person scuppered their plans to return to Earth connected committee nan aforesaid Boeing Starliner.
Tuesday marked nan pair's 60the time successful abstraction - alternatively of nan intended eight-day mission.
Last week, Boeing said that it 'remains assured successful nan Starliner spacecraft and its expertise to return safely pinch crew.'
It now seems much apt that nan Williams and Wilmore will request to hold for nan presence of a SpaceX ngo successful September.
Tuesday marked 60 days nan Starliner unit has been successful abstraction erstwhile nan first scheme was conscionable 8 days
One concerned commenter said that nan business faced by nan NASA astronauts was 'inhumane and torture'
That formation had been planned to return 4 astronauts to nan ISS but 2 of nan seats could beryllium near quiet if NASA decides that Starliner is not safe capable for a crewed return.
On societal media, concerned fans backmost connected Earth person been horrified astatine Williams and Wilmore's predicament.
One commenter wrote: 'Stuck successful abstraction for 60 days pinch nary known solution is inhumane and torture.
'Why did y'all teams nonstop those astronauts successful nan first place? Where is nan Change.Org petition to bring backmost nan astronauts?'
Another commenter said that nan business was 'nightmarish' and expressed their dream that Buch and Suni return safely to Earth
One commenter likened nan business to that of nan Ocean Gate submersible which collapsed while attempting to sojourn nan wreck of nan Titanic
Another worried commenter wrote: 'Hope they travel backmost live and show america astir it. Nightmarish. Only happens successful movies.'
Another commenter likened nan business to that of nan Ocean Gate submarine which collapsed while attempting to scope nan Titanic.
On X, formerly Twitter, nan commenter wrote 'It's giving' earlier attaching a image of nan doomed submersible.
While galore connected societal media focussed connected nan terrifying aspects of nan astronaut's ordeal, others pointed retired nan cinematic qualities of nan situation.
'Netflix movie inbound', 1 commenter wrote.
Another added: 'I'd person busted retired nan model by now... There would beryllium a Netflix typical documenting my spiral into madness successful Space. At slightest 6 parts.'
Others compared nan business to nan crippled of Gilligan's Island, a 1960s sitcom successful which a group of travellers are shipwrecked aft embarking connected a 3-hour tour.
Some commenters pointed retired nan cinematic qualities of nan script and joked that a Netflix movie would beryllium soon to follow
One commenter said that if they were connected nan ISS location would beryllium a 'Netflix typical documenting my spiral into madness'
Others compared nan business to nan crippled of nan 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island successful which a group of travellers are shipwrecked aft mounting retired connected a three-hour cruise
One commenter wrote: 'Hear maine out... I sewage a really cool caller abstraction property twist connected Gilligan's Island.'
'It's Gilligan's Island successful space', different commenter simply added.
As societal media watched nan play unfold, galore commenters' thoughts people turned to imaginable flight plans.
A number of commenters fixated connected nan rivalry betwixt Boeing and rival institution SpaceX founded by Elon Musk.
Both companies are portion of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) but while Boeing's Starliner has been mired successful failures SpaceX capsules and rockets are utilized routinely.
One commenter labelled nan business faced by Butch and Suni arsenic 'Gilligan's Island successful Space'
Many commenters person pointed retired nan similarities betwixt nan situations faced by Williams and Wilmore (left) and nan formed of Gilligan's Island (right). In some scenarios, nan crews were trapped successful an isolated location aft mounting retired connected a seemingly short trip
On X, which is besides owned by Mr Musk, 1 commenter wrote: 'Space X needs to spell rescue them.'
Another added: 'Elon is going to person to get them isn't he...'
'How overmuch is Elon going to complaint for nan uber assistance home?', different asked jokingly.
Meanwhile 1 pessimistic commenter joked that it 'might beryllium quicker if nan Boeing astronauts conscionable started stepping home.'
NASA has truthful acold remained uncommitted connected whether a SpaceX rescue ngo will beryllium necessary.
Speaking astatine a property convention yesterday, Steve Stich, head of nan NASA CCP, told reporters: 'Our premier action is to return Butch and Suni connected Starliner.
'However, we person done nan requisite readying to make judge we person different options open.'
On X, commenters' thoughts people turned to really nan unit could get backmost to Earth pinch galore echoing a NASA connection that Williams and Wilmore whitethorn request to beryllium rescued by a SpaceX capsule
SpaceX, which is owned by Elon Musk, is simply a fierce rival of Boeing which would make relying connected nan institution to rescue nan trapped astronauts a peculiarly embarrassing infinitesimal for Boeing
One pessimistic commenter joked that it would beryllium quicker if nan trapped astronauts 'just started stepping home' alternatively than awaiting rescue
However, experts told MailOnline successful June that NASA could beryllium forced to motorboat a rescue mission, suggesting Elon Musk's SpaceX would beryllium tapped to get it done.
Mike Gruntman, professor of astronautics astatine nan University of Southern California, told MailOnline that 'it is much apt that SpaceX would beryllium capable to supply an further motorboat successful nan foreseeable early to bring nan astronauts back.'
Professor Gruntman continued: 'It is highly unfortunate that Boeing's Starliner, aft truthful overmuch hold pinch its flight, continues to look problems.
'For decades, Boeing was 1 of nan astir admired aerospace and defence companies. It is simply a existent nationalist tragedy.'
Problems pinch Boeing's commercialized jets, including turbulence, mechanical issues and tail strikes, person costs nan institution astatine slightest $3 billion.
Boeing's Starliner (pictured successful this post) was only meant to dock pinch nan ISS for 8 days, but location are now concerns it whitethorn not beryllium safe to return pinch a crew
And NASA awarded Boeing a $4.2 cardinal statement to build Starliner arsenic a taxi for astronauts to nan ISS.
A gathering this week of NASA's CCP, which oversees Starliner, ended pinch immoderate officials disagreeing connected a scheme to judge Boeing's testing information and usage Starliner to bring nan astronauts home.
'We didn't canvass successful a measurement that led to a conclusion,' Mr Stich said.
Ken Bowersox, NASA's abstraction operations chief, added: 'We heard from a batch of folks that had concerns, and nan determination was not clear.'
While nary determination has been made connected utilizing Starliner aliases SpaceX's Crew Dragon, NASA has been buying Boeing much clip to do much testing and stitchery much information to build a amended lawsuit to spot Starliner.
Sometime adjacent week is erstwhile NASA expects to decide, officials said.
Starliner has faced galore method issues since its launch, including thruster failures and helium leaks. A business which 1 commenter compared to a surgery down car
HOW DO ASTRONAUTS GO TO THE TOILET?
On committee nan ISS location is simply a toilet which has respective attachments.
As location is nary gravity successful space, liquids do not travel but accumulate successful floating globules.
To antagonistic this problem, location are hoses which are utilized and supply unit to suck nan fluid from nan body.
Each astronaut has their ain individual attachment.
When a toilet is not disposable aliases nan astronaut is connected a space-walk, nan astronauts usage MAGs (maximum absorbency garments) which are diapers that soak up each nan waste.
They are effective for short missions but person been known to leak occasionally.
Nasa is aiming to create a suit which allows for semipermanent spacesuit usage and complete independent disposal of quality waste.
On nan satellite missions location was nary toilet and nan all-male unit had 'condom catheter's that attached to nan penis and nan fluid was fed to a container that resided extracurricular of nan suit.
According to an 1976 question and reply pinch astronaut Rusty Schweickart, nan condom catheters came successful 3 sizes: small, mean and large.
Despite nan applicable advantages of having nan correct size, nan astronauts often ordered nan ample ones and this resulted successful a leakage of urine successful nan suit.
To combat this, Nasa renamed nan sizes arsenic large, gigantic, and humongous to appease nan antheral ego.
There has yet to beryllium an effective female balanced developed, thing Nasa intends to alteration for nan Orion missions.
