Eismont: it may take a spacewalk to fix Starliner
The long delay of the Starliner spacecraft on the ISS suggests that it has a serious hardware problem that requires astronauts to go into outer space to fix, but it is unlikely that such a complicated operation can be performed, Nathan Eismont, a leading researcher at the Space Research Institute (SRI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told RIA Novosti.
Earlier, NASA and Boeing said they considered mid-August as the latest possible date for the return to Earth of the Starliner spacecraft stuck in orbit due to technical problems. According to media reports, it records problems with part of the maneuvering engines and helium leaks.
The expert noted that the ship most likely had serious problems with the control system – either with the software or with the “hardware” – the hardware that includes all the technical means of the ship.
“Judging by how long they have been sitting there, we can suspect that the “iron”… If there are problems with the “iron”, then it is already a much more complicated situation. To replace the “iron” is a whole special operation… You might have to go into outer space. This is the last thing we would want to do,” Eismont said.
The expert recalled that such operations in space have already been carried out. In 2009, a team of astronauts made five successful spacewalks in 10 days to mount new instruments on the orbiting telescope “Hubble”, extending its life.
“If we talk about open space operations on the ISS, there was originally a provision there to do some operations, and on the Starliner itself, obviously, it was hardly intended. I think this limitation still closes the possibility to do something with the “iron” without some very unusual operations in space,” said the scientist.
Created by Boeing under contract with NASA, the spacecraft set off on its first manned flight on June 5, 2024. After about 26 hours, it arrived at the ISS, and despite technical problems, successfully docked with it. Starliner’s mission to the station was originally scheduled to continue for about a week, but NASA extended the mission several times for astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams. At the moment, the exact date of their return to Earth has not been determined.