Whereas NASA and Boeing engineers swear they’re nearing a choice on finest return Starliner crew members Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to Earth, the astronauts apparently have had a lot to do within the meantime. In accordance with an August 20 update, the area company is “taking benefit” of their “additional time aboard the orbital laboratory” by placing them to work on a number of science experiments, routine upkeep chores, and prepping their Worldwide Area Station roommates for spacewalks. On prime of all that, the pair at the moment are serving to with ongoing analysis to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each fiber optic cable manufacturing and gardening in microgravity.
Whereas not technically “stranded” within the basic sense of the phrase, Wilmore and Williams have been aboard the ISS since June 6, far previous their authentic eight-day itinerary. Shortly after the inaugural liftoff of Boeing’s Starliner at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Area Drive Station, engineers observed several technical issues associated to the spacecraft’s thruster methods. Though in a position to safely dock with the ISS, NASA and Boeing specialists have since spent weeks conducting thruster exams again on Earth whereas conducting copious information evaluations to find out the most secure resolution. Ultimately examine, mission leaders say they anticipate to “determine on the trail ahead by the tip of August.” Whether or not or not that includes Starliner or hitching a ride aboard certainly one of SpaceX’s reusable Dragon spacecraft stays to be seen.
[Related: Boeing Starliner launches first crewed mission for NASA.]
When not helping these efforts by monitoring Starliner’s flight methods and gathering efficiency information for engineers, nevertheless, Wilmore and Williams reportedly are pitching in across the ISS as wanted. Their work on the continued Flawless Space Fibers-1 experiment, for instance, goals to higher perceive the nuances of manufacturing fiber optic cables in microgravity utilizing new {hardware} and manufacturing strategies. Previous research point out fibers made in area are of higher high quality than these created on Earth as a result of gravity doesn’t degrade them throughout manufacturing. Determining most effectively make optic cabling in area might sooner or later enhance communications methods for astronauts, strengthen microgravity lab tools on the ISS, and even enhance remote-sensing and comms arrays again on Earth.
Apart from fiber optics, NASA says the Starliner crew can also be serving to out with two crop-related experiments, Plant Water Management 5 and 6. These are targeted on utilizing fluids’ bodily properties like floor stress and wetting as a method to preserve vegetation correctly hydrated and aerated in area. The knowledge gleaned from these exams could quickly assist inform the designs of future gardening methods made particularly for decreased gravity, both on the ISS, in a lunar base, and even on Mars.
When not working, NASA stories the astronauts are nonetheless having fun with their free time by means of emailing, calling, and video-chatting with family and friends. Presumably, they’re additionally crossing their fingers that they gained’t be tasked with “repairing a urine processing pump,” as beforehand reported.
Then once more, NASA has acknowledged there’s an opportunity Wilmore and Williams could find yourself changing two crewmembers within the upcoming (and Starliner-delayed) SpaceX Crew-9 mission that’s presently scheduled for September. If that finally ends up the case, then their initially eight-day journey could stretch into February 2025—loads of time for added urine processing pump issues.
