Spacesuit problem poses risk if Starliner returns to Earth without the crew

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stuck in space for weeks now. The space agency has been working to get them back to Earth safely. TheStarliner has been experiencing technical issues ever since it took the two to low-Earth orbit in June.

Now another problem has emerged, this time with their spacesuits. In case a problem happens on the International Space Station (ISS) sometime in the next six weeks, Williams and Wilmore won't have the safety of their in-flight spacesuits while fleeing.

NASA said at a press conference on August 14, that the spacesuits they wore inside the Boeing Starliner are not compatible with other spacecraft. The space agency has been trying to decide whether the astronauts should take the return trip aboard Starliner or on a SpaceX vehicle.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and other officials are expected to meet Saturday morning and reach a decision. Reports suggest that the Starliner is likely to be brought back to Earth empty.

If Starliner is removed from the plan because of technical issues, then NASA will need to move ahead with their contingency plan - the SpaceX Dragon capsuleof the Crew-8 mission. The spacecraft is in space and officials have said that it is part of the plan if Starliner is deemed unsuitable to carry the astronauts back.

However, the problem arises with the SpaceX suits - there aren't any spare.

Also Read:NASA delays SpaceX Crew-9 mission as rumours about Boeing Starliner's safety emerge

The earliest they are likely to reach the ISS is on September 24 when the Dragon of Crew-9 launches with two empty seats and two extra spacesuits.

Starliner's return to Earth

Starliner is also expected to fly to Earth uncrewed. So between this time period, if Starliner leaves the ISS and Dragon hasn't yet reached space, Williams and Wilmore would need to enter Dragon 8 capsule without the compatible spacesuits in case of an emergency.

The scenario completely depends on NASA's final decision - whether to bring back the Starliner uncrewed, or with the astronauts. A decision is likely to be reached by the end of this month.

Spacesuits are of two types - extravehicular and intravehicular. The former is used while making repairs outside the station, while the latter is worn during launches, aborting a flight or landing back to Earth.

Starliner launched into space on June 5 and the astronauts were supposed to stay at the ISS only for eight days.