Boeing Starliner crew still in space, with options open for return trip

(NewsNation) — Boeing's Starliner capsule remains docked at the International Space Station as the company and NASA face new urgency when it comes to returning the capsule and crew home.

After multiple prelaunch issues, Starliner finally began its first crewed test mission June 5, blasting off from Cape Canaveral with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board. The pair were expected to stay on the ISS for around eight days before returning to Earth.

Following multiple helium leaks detected in Starliner's service module and difficulties with the spacecraft's thrusters on the first docking attempt, the astronauts have now been on the ISS for eight weeks.

While experts say calling the crew "stranded" is a bit of an exaggeration, the reality is that NASA is now facing the prospect of needing to get them home before a SpaceX mission slated for Aug. 18 can go forward.

The issue at hand is parking. The ISS has six docking stations, four on the Russian side and two on the U.S. side. Currently, SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavor is using one dock and Starliner is occupying the other. The Endeavor is not scheduled to come back to Earth until fall.

While it may seem like a solution is to borrow a spot from the Russians, incompatible technology means that's not feasible. Instead, one of the two craft currently docked is going to have to leave before the planned Crew Dragon Freedom mission can go ahead.

NASA and Boeing have continued to maintain the crew will come home on Starliner as they continue testing to make sure there is enough power for the thrusters to perform needed maneuvers to get back to Earth. One complicating factor is that the service module burns up on reentry, making it is necessary for engineers to gather all the data they can before Starliner leaves the ISS.

However, activity planet-side has led to suspicions that NASA may opt to have Williams and Wilmore return home via a SpaceX Dragon capsule, something that would be another blow to Boeing in an already bad year.

Ars Technica reported sources saying there was a 50% or greater chance the crew could be coming home on a SpaceX craft, though it isn't clear whether that would be the Endeavor or another capsule that would fly to the ISS to pick up the astronauts.

In the meantime, Wilmore and Williams are helping the ISS crew with their duties. NASA is expected to announce more details on the pair's return in the coming weeks.