Did you know that NASA and Boeing combined to send two astronauts to the space station and then strand them there? It looks like they might be forced to ask Elon Musk to send up Space X to bring them back, which is a political problem for the failed administration. The ultimate failure.
We have to hope they care more about the astronauts’ lives than they do about the political pitfalls. The media will cover it up either way. They have downplayed it, although they recently admitted that astronauts are stuck in space.
No one is supposed to say the two astronauts, Butch and Suni, are stranded at the space station even though a one-week trip has turned into eight plus. They were sent without luggage or personal items. But they are said to be enjoying it.
Boeing, which can’t always keep its doors on in flight, faces a massive problem with its planes, and its space flight seems just as bad. What a comedown. Maybe they should hire, train, and promote better.
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Boeing is becoming a perfect metaphor for the establishment, especially as it manifests itself in the workings of the US government. We don’t even have a president or know who runs the country.
The launch began with a send-off by Kamala in her full awfulness:
We used to be a proper country:
Stranded US Astronauts Return From Space Still in Limbo
NASA & Boeing still haven’t set a return date for the aerospace firm’s Boeing CST-100 Starliner space taxi currently docked at the International Space Station, adding to growing uncertainty… https://t.co/fYRBV2OrMO pic.twitter.com/gaF7YYFrGk
— Prodigal (@ProdigalThe3rd) July 28, 2024
She’s always vapid with smoke between her ears unless her handlers have her under tight control.
It’s All Good
They’re confident, have many options, and think Starliner will take them home, but they don’t know when as time runs out.
Reporters say the two astronauts are enjoying their time up there. No proper supplies, a spaceship that was only successful in not blowing up to take them home, and reluctance based on politics to ask Elon Musk to get them home.
The Starliner had five helium leaks and five overheated engines, but other than that, it performed fine. “Those are pretty small, really, issues to deal with,” Mark Nappi, vice president and manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, said during a post-docking news conference. “We’ll figure them out for the next mission. I don’t see these as significant at all.”
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were supposed to be on the International Space Station for just eight days — but now, they are marking their 50th day in space, as engineers troubleshoot issues on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that brought them there. pic.twitter.com/Yl7fbAf62N
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 26, 2024
Calling Elon Musk
Starliner’s thruster issues remain unresolved, with 5 of 28 failing. NASA and Boeing have kept the disaster under wraps for 60 days, and they still don’t know what the core problem is with the thrusters. Thrusters are necessary for steering Starliner during its departure from the space station and setting up a critical engine burn to enter Earth’s atmosphere.
They’re afraid to use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to bring Butch and Suni home, reportedly because they don’t want to look like they are overreacting. We all know they don’t want to give Elon Musk a win and show everyone how Boeing has fallen.
The administration is worried about the $1.6 billion investment in the program and how it all looks.
Nasa spent $300 billion on the space shuttle for less than 150 launches. Elon spent $30 billion on his reusable entry vehicle and has over 200 launches.
Ars Technica now says there is a better than 50% chance the astronauts will come home on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
According to Ars Technica:
One informed source said it was greater than a 50-50 chance that the crew would come back on Dragon. Another source said it was significantly more likely than not they would. To be clear, NASA has not made a final decision. This probably will not happen until at least next week. It is likely that Jim Free, NASA’s associate administrator, will make the call.
Asked if it was now more likely than not that Starliner’s crew would return on Dragon, NASA spokesperson Josh Finch told Ars on Thursday evening, ” NASA is evaluating all options for the return of agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station as safely as possible. No decisions have been made, and the agency will continue to provide updates on its planning.”
NASA/Boeing claim there is only a small chance there would be a problem using Starliner to take the crew home.
There is only “a small risk to flying Starliner in its present condition,” they say.
This testing was intended to “buy down” these risks. But while the data is good, it has not addressed all of NASA’s concerns.
That makes me wonder if they sent them off with iffy chances of survival because they’ve all been sufficiently politicized.
If Musk’s Crew Dragon flies them home, Boeing might have to cancel Starliner. It would leave NASA with one provider of crew transport. However, the alternative is to risk the lives of the crew. Let’s hope they make the right decision. Will the administration let them do the right thing?
however, they might go to the Russians before they go to Elon Musk. It’s all politics you know.
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