The mission was scheduled to last only eight days: The astronauts on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft won't return to Earth for 3 months

After departing since June 6 aboard a Boeing spacecraft, the two astronauts who were scheduled to spend only eight days in space may not return to Earth for three months. Since their departure aboard the Starliner capsule bound for the International Space Station, Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams have had to deal with many unexpected events.

In particular, it was a helium leak and then a propulsion failure that prompted the astronauts to make repairs. Steve Stich, head of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said the return mission could ultimately take between 45 and 90 days. CNN. No specific date has been announced. However, NASA wants to be reassured, stressing that the astronauts were not like that.Forbidden” in the space.

Waiting to be tested in New Mexico

According to NASA, the wait is due to tests conducted in New Mexico to understand why the propulsion system failed during the mission. While waiting to return to Earth, the astronauts joined the crew of the International Space Station.

Starliner represents a major challenge for Boeing, which is also facing quality issues in its commercial aerospace division. The first-ever crewed mission aims to prove that the vehicle is safe to begin regular space taxi operations. Ultimately, the aerospace giant hopes to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has been sending men into space since 2020.