Two astronauts are waiting to come home while Boeing works to fix spacecraft problems. Here’s what’s at stake.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was poised for a significant milestone this month: transporting two NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station, demonstrating the capability of the long-delayed and over-budget capsule. Starliner is halfway to achieving that goal. However, the two experienced astronauts on this test flight are now in a precarious situation, having to extend their stay on the space station for a second time. Engineers on the ground are working urgently to understand the problems encountered during the first part of their mission. Spaceflight veterans Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore arrived at the space station on June 6 …