Is Boeing to blame for the two astronauts stranded in space?

NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams will be forced to extend their stay in space due to problems affecting their spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner.

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It’s another Boeing problem it seems… and the result is that two NASA astronauts, who were only scheduled to spend a few days aboard the International Space Station, have already spent more than two months there.

Now, they may stay until 2025.

This unforeseen delay is caused by problems with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s thrusters, which are experiencing leaks and malfunctions.

This adds to Boeing’s difficulties, already burdened by design problems with the Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

While engineers work from Earth to diagnose and solve the thruster problems, questions about how to bring back the stranded astronauts persist, and are proving to be more complex than originally planned.

The original plan was to return the astronauts to the Boeing Starliner once repairs had been completed. Boeing remains confident in the ability of its craft to ensure a safe return with the crew, subject to further testing.

Due to the numerous delays, however, NASA is currently considering a crucial decision: either send the Starliner back to SpaceX empty and return the astronauts via SpaceX, or continue troubleshooting operations in the hope of a safe landing for the crew.

However, the consequences of these decisions will  prolong the astronauts’ stay until their safe return to Earth until 2025.