6thWave: AI News Hub

NASA and Boeing officials have refuted recent claims that astronauts aboard the ISS, who arrived via the Starliner capsule, are stranded. Instead, the extended stay is an opportunity to conduct thorough tests before returning to Earth. The astronauts will remain on the ISS for a few more weeks as ground teams perform additional tests. NASA’s commercial crew program manager Steve Stich emphasized that there is no rush to return, highlighting the ISS as a safe environment for continued work. Engineers will conduct remote tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters from New Mexico’s White Sands Test Facility after five thrusters malfunctioned during docking. Although helium leaks were reported, they pose no threat to the return journey. The thruster tests will take a couple of weeks, during which astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will stay on the ISS. Starliner, designed for 210-day missions, was initially capped at 45 days due to battery limits, but recharging by the ISS may extend this. Despite unresolved issues, officials assure that Starliner remains safe for emergency return if required.

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