What happens now for the stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts?

The two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) with no return date likely have “a big smile on their faces and are happy to be there,” said former French astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy.

Boeing Starliner test crew Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams left Earth on June 5 and were expected to return eight days later.

But several problems with the Boeing plane mean their return has been delayed three times, with Reuters reporting they may not return from space until July 6.

In an interview with Euronews Next, Clervoy said that it is not a worrying scenario as long as the astronauts are focused and doing their work.

They are in close contact with the team on the ground and can call their families every day. It certainly gives them more time on the ISS, which he said they would “enjoy.”

They are also astronauts you can trust, said the former French astronaut, who has worked with both Wilmore and Williams in the past and has a close friendship with Wilmore.

“He is an extraordinary guy. You can trust him 100 percent and he will be the one who will do everything to help you and save you,” Clervoy said.

“He’s the kind of astronaut when you meet him, you think you’d like to fly with him. Sunita is the same, from what I know of her from a professional relationship, she’s a very nice girl, very capable.”

Are they stuck in space?

According to media reports, they are “stuck” on the ISS, a term Clervoy strongly rejects.

If the ISS needs to be evacuated, Starliner can be used as a lifeboat, he said, adding that “despite the problems, Starliner is capable of performing this function, with slightly reduced discharges, but it is sufficient to get Bush and Sunita back safely.”

Starliner can remain on the ISS for a maximum of 45 days, NASA commercial crew manager Steve Stich said in a statement to the media.

“They’re not locked in. What they are is waiting for Boeing,” said Laura Forczyk, owner of the aerospace consultancy Astralytical.

“They would like to know how they can evaluate Starliner while it is attached to the ISS,” she told Euronews Next.

“That’s because there are certain things they can’t evaluate on the ground,” Forczyk said. According to him, the tests should also show whether a future Starliner is safe enough to transport people.

Forczyk also said that they have enough supplies for a while, as these kinds of measures are taken into account before take-off.

Even if Starliner can’t bring them back, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon or Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft could. However, Forczyk and Clervoy said this is unlikely.

What went wrong with Starliner?

It is the first time that Boeing’s Starliner has been launched on a crewed mission.

The spacecraft encountered problems before launch and was delayed for a month due to a helium leak and power problems.

The leak was so small at the time that engineers thought it was still safe to take off. Helium drives propulsion to the propulsion systems to move through space and slow the journey to Earth’s atmosphere.

After deployment, Starliner suffered five helium leaks, five failures of the 28 maneuvering engines and a propellant valve failed to close completely.

“From what I understand, helium leaks are not a concern, but they are not normal and not expected,” Clervoy said.

‘Boeing and NASA, the recipient of the services, and who is concerned because it is their services [NASA] “Astronauts who fly want to understand and see how they evolve, why there is a flow and where this leak is coming from,” he added.

NASA and Boeing are working on a solution, and once NASA officials give the team the green light for a return, Starliner’s thrusters will be used to undock the capsule from the ISS and begin the six-hour journey to Earth.

What does this mean for Boeing?

NASA wants Starliner to become the second American spacecraft to carry astronauts to the ISS, joining SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

Although the incident is painful for Boeing, which also faces criticism on Earth, Clervoy is confident that NASA will continue its cooperation with the aerospace giant.

“There will likely be a delay in Starliner deployment until Boeing resolves the issues. But Starliner is almost there and there are only a few issues left to resolve,” he said, adding that routine ISS flights will soon be available travel could be used.

According to Clervoy, this is especially true because NASA no longer wants to be dependent on SpaceX’s one spacecraft if Russia ends its space agreement with the United States before 2030.

But the fact that there are technical reasons for the delay to Earth “is something Boeing should be concerned about,” Forczyk said.

“NASA is evaluating whether or not Boeing is a good partner for the International Space Station commercial crew program,” she added.

“In the future, Boeing would have to fly up to six Starliner missions. However, if this mission does not fully meet the criteria set by NASA, NASA may decide that another demo mission should be conducted, which would incur additional costs for Boeing.”

Forczyk said that in the beginning everyone expected Boeing to be the first to bring crew to the ISS. But that NASA has “really become dependent on SpaceX” for cargo, for payloads and crewed missions.

This can be seen because NASA has awarded SpaceX the contract to build the vehicle that will take the ISS out of Earth’s orbit.

“What we see is that through its actions, SpaceX has naturally become the leader and the workhorse of the world in terms of launches,” Forczyk said.

“And Boeing looks ashamed in comparison.”