Why the Starliner Astronauts Are Stuck in Area

What are the Starliner astronauts doing while in area for months longer than anticipated?

” A couple years earlier, we decided– understanding that this was a test flight– to ensure that we had the best resources, products and training for the team, simply in case they required to be on ISS, for whatever factor, for a longer time period,” Dana Weigel, NASA’s supervisor of the International Spaceport station, stated throughout an Aug. 7 press instruction.

The Starliner astronauts were functioning as “additional hands” working aboard the ISS while they were up there, included NASA’s Bowersox. However, as visitors and not main members of the continuous seven-person Exploration 71, “they’re likewise consuming more consumables, more products.”

So, he included, “Eventually, we require to bring those folks home and return to a typical team size on the ISS.”

However in the meantime, Weigel stated, ” Butch and Suni are completely trained. They’re capable and present with EVA [extravehicular activity, a.k.a. spacewalks], with robotics, with all the important things we require them to do.”

According to NASA rundowns, they have actually been hectic with station maintenance, checking hardware, arranging freight and helping with science experiments and tech presentations.