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NASA has made the strategic decision to have astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams return from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon instead of the Boeing Starliner that originally took them there. This announcement, made by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, marks a significant shift in plans and a setback for Boeing’s Starliner program.
The astronauts, who have been aboard the ISS since early June, were initially set to return after an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the Starliner, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, have led NASA to extend their stay until February next year, when a SpaceX vehicle will facilitate their return.
During a briefing, Nelson emphasized NASA’s commitment to safety, stating, “Our core value is safety, and it is our north star.” This decision follows weeks of deliberation between NASA and Boeing, aiming to assess the risks associated with the Starliner’s return capabilities.
Boeing, which has invested over a decade and faced numerous challenges with the Starliner, including significant financial losses, expressed disappointment through its vice president Mark Nappi. Despite the setback, Nappi confirmed Boeing’s readiness to support NASA’s revised plan, prioritizing crew and spacecraft safety.
The extended mission for Wilmore and Williams, both seasoned astronauts, now includes them staying aboard the ISS for nearly eight months, integrating with a new crew set to arrive via SpaceX in September. NASA has adjusted supply missions to accommodate this longer stay, ensuring no shortages, as humorously noted by NASA’s Dana Weigel, “No one has had to go on a diet or calorie restrictions.”
This decision not only impacts the immediate mission but also raises questions about the future of Boeing’s Starliner program, which was intended to provide NASA with a second, independent means of crew transport to the ISS, reducing reliance on Russian spacecraft post the retirement of the Space Shuttle.
SpaceX, under the leadership of Elon Musk, has now solidified its role as a pivotal partner for NASA, handling not just crew rotations but also pivotal missions like lunar landings and satellite launches. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president, affirmed their readiness to support NASA’s needs.
The shift underscores the competitive and cooperative nature of space exploration, where safety and reliability dictate the pace and partnerships of space missions. As NASA and Boeing continue to troubleshoot the Starliner’s issues, the space community watches closely, understanding the implications for future manned spaceflight missions.
Article generated from corporate media reports.
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by Michael Snyder
(End of the American Dream)—What is causing the extremely loud “booms” that people are hearing in the sky all over the world? We are being told that “skyquakes” are responsible, but scientists have no idea why these “skyquakes” are occurring. In some cases, the “skyquakes” cause such powerful shaking that…
The Biggest Sale on Long-Term Storage Beef EVER
by Sponsored Post
Let’s cut to the chase. Prepper All-Naturals is offering an unprecedented 40% off for it’s “Beef Steak” survival bags with promo code “steak40”. With a 25-year shelf life and a single ingredient (beef, of course), our most popular product is available for a very limited time with the biggest discount…
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by PJ Media
A federal court has just pooped in the oatmeal of the West Coast, Messed Coast™governors and local election officials suffering from acute cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome who think they can stop illegal alien deportations. And after this hilarious and thorough legal takedown from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals,…
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by Slay News
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by Frank Miele
If for no other reason than that it will elicit fear in the hearts of autocracy-phobics, I propose that Donald Trump’s second-term Cabinet be known as “The Wild Bunch.” The name is best known as the title of Sam Peckinpah’s classic 1969 western featuring a colorful cast of aging outlaws…
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by Just The News
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday said that it has issued two flight restrictions on the area surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club in New Jersey, following questionable drone activity. The drone sightings were first reported on Nov. 18, but have continued into this week, according to Fox…
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by Trending Politics
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by Breitbart
President Joe Biden should issue preemptive pardons to his political allies and those deemed to be on President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged “enemies list,” Democrats and their media allies believe. Delivering a preemptive pardon indicates an admission of guilt, although Democrats claim a preemptive pardon would only be intended to block…
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by Trending Politics
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Lindsey Graham Is the Warmongering NeoCon Leading the Charge to Upend Pete Hegseth
by JD Rucker
Pete Hegseth represents a shift away from the wokeness that has infected the United States military. This is possibly the biggest reason President-Elect Donald Trump tapped him to be the next Secretary of Defense and the vast majority of Republicans on Capitol Hill can support this, at least for the…
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by Nicole Silverio, DCNF
(DCNF)—Fox Business host Charles Payne called out the alleged “huge double standard” of President Joe Biden’s family Tuesday by revealing that his brother, who struggles with a crack addiction, is currently serving a jail sentence. Payne said his brother, who is getting out of jail on Friday, is likely one…
Zelensky Admits Ukraine Can’t Retake All Its Land: ‘We Must Seek Diplomatic Means’
by Breitbart
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded in an interview on Tuesday that Ukraine does not have “enough forces” to restore sovereignty over Russian-occupied Crimea and “must seek diplomatic means” to end the Russian invasion and regain its land. The state-run Ukrinform outlet reported that Zelensky described Crimea – which Russia colonized…
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by Olivia Cook
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by Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge
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Mysterious ‘Car-Sized Drones’ Over New Jersey Prompt FBI Investigation
by Zero Hedge
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UNESCO’s New Mission: Train Influencers About Combatting Online “Misinformation”
by Reclaim the Net
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is now incorporating teaching influencers how to “fact check” into its activities. UNESCO claims that influencers have become “primary sources of news and cultural information” around the world – which prompted it to carry out a survey into how these online personalities…
