NASA is stepping up efforts to return Starliner astronauts, but there is no final decision yet

NASA is facing internal "disagreements" over how to safely return the Boeing Starliner and its astronauts. UNN reports with reference to Ars Technica.

Details

NASA officials, on Wednesday, August 7, for the first time publicly discussed the disagreement within the agency over whether the Starliner spacecraft is reliable enough to return two veteran astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sweeney Williams, to Earth from the International Space Station.

The Boeing Starliner on which they arrived for the test flight has problems with at least five engines, and a helium leak has divided NASA engineers over whether it is safe for them to return in the same capsule.

 NASA's human spaceflight director, former astronaut Ken Bowersox, confirms that no final decisions have been made on Wilmore and Williams' return to Earth.

I have to admit that sometimes when we have disagreements, it's not fun. Such discussions can be painful, but that's what makes our organization good

For reference

During ground tests, engineers were able to demonstrate failures similar to those of the five Starliner engines. Further checks revealed a bulge in the Teflon seal in the oxidizer valve, known as a "plate valve," which could have restricted the flow of nitrogen tetraxide. The engines consume nitrogen tetraxide and mix it with hydrazine fuel for combustion. However, despite the tests, engineers still don't understand why the bulge is occurring and whether it will be detected during the Starliner's flight back to Earth.

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NASA will soon decide whether to fly the crew on the Starliner, the Boeing team has about a week to convince the NASA team of the safety of the Starliner before the final transition to the Crew Dragon begins, writes Ars Technica.

Recall

UNN reported that Boeing Starliner astronauts were stuck on the ISS: mechanical problems were found, including four helium leaks; 5 engines also failed.

NASA has postponed the SpaceX flight to September due to problems with Boeing Starliner engines. Options are being considered for the return of astronauts, including the use of a SpaceX capsule, which could delay their return until 2025.