Astronauts on Boeing Starliner mission might return on rival SpaceX craft

NASA is deliberating whether astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who reached space on Boeing Starliner’s first crewed test flight but faced issues in the spaceship, should return home in the same vehicle or wait for SpaceX’s shuttle in February.

Currently stationed at the International Space Station (ISS), Wilmore and Williams have faced a two-month delay in returning due to technical issues with the Starliner, which have since been fixed, per Boeing.

While Boeing is confident in Starliner’s capabilities, recent test results have raised safety concerns at NASA. As a result, NASA is considering using SpaceX as a backup for the return trip.

If the backup plan is implemented, the astronauts will return to Earth with SpaceX in February 2025, extending their ISS mission to about six months.

A decision to use SpaceX for the return trip would be a setback for Boeing, especially given their longstanding partnership with NASA since the Apollo program.

The Starliner project has been beset by technical challenges and delays, leaving Boeing behind SpaceX.

Despite the uncertainty, astronauts Wilmore and Williams have expressed confidence in Starliner. They continue to conduct scientific research on the ISS.