SpaceX launched a partially occupied Crew Dragon spacecraft on Saturday, carrying just two astronauts instead of its usual
four-person crew. This unusual mission is the result of a challenging safety decision NASA had to make after complications arose with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
In June, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams embarked on Boeing’s Starliner for its inaugural crewed test flight. However, the spacecraft experienced thruster issues as it approached the
International Space Station (ISS). While Wilmore and Williams successfully reached the ISS, concerns about the Starliner’s performance during reentry led NASA to make a difficult choice.
After extensive testing and analysis, NASA officials decided against risking the astronauts’ lives by sending them back to Earth in the Starliner. Instead, the space agency opted to return the spacecraft without its crew, a decision that has disrupted NASA’s human spaceflight schedule.
As a result, Wilmore and Williams will now return on the recently launched Crew Dragon. They will join astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, who are currently en route to the ISS. The four will complete the planned Crew-9 mission, with Wilmore and Williams expected to return to Earth no earlier than February 2025.
This turn of events highlights the stark contrast between SpaceX and Boeing in the race to provide reliable transportation for astronauts. Both companies developed their spacecraft through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, but SpaceX has outpaced Boeing significantly. Crew Dragon successfully flew its first astronauts four years ago and has been regularly transporting crews to and from the ISS since then.
Moreover, SpaceX achieved this feat at a lower cost. NASA granted Boeing $4.2 billion for Starliner development, compared to $2.6 billion for SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The disparity in both timeline and cost has not gone unnoticed, with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk pointing out these differences on social media.
Boeing’s struggles with Starliner have been costly. The company has reportedly lost about $1.6 billion on the project due to technical issues and delays. The future of Starliner remains uncertain, as NASA has not yet announced whether additional testing will be required before the spacecraft can be cleared for regular astronaut rotations.
Despite the setbacks, Starliner’s uncrewed return to Earth on September 6 was successful. Steve Stich, head of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, later stated that the astronauts would have been safe returning aboard Starliner. However, he acknowledged that the decision to send the spacecraft back empty was made without the benefit of hindsight.
The last-minute changes to the Crew-9 mission meant that two NASA astronauts, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, had to remain on Earth. Their seats on the Crew Dragon are being reserved for Wilmore and Williams’ return next year. Both Cardman and Wilson expressed mixed emotions about the situation, emphasizing the collaborative nature of space exploration and the importance of adaptability in their field.
Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams continue their extended stay on the ISS, conducting experiments and maintenance. They acknowledged the personal sacrifices involved, with Wilmore missing much of his daughter’s senior year of high school. However, both astronauts stressed that dealing with unexpected challenges is an integral part of their profession.
As the space industry continues to evolve, this incident serves as a reminder of the complexities and risks involved in human spaceflight, as well as the ongoing competition between private companies in the race to provide reliable access to space.