Are astronauts really stuck in space? We answer your questions (original) (raw)
Astronauts will stay on ISS for 8 months
⭐️HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️
- Two astronauts are in space for much longer than they anticipated.
- They’ve been on the International Space Station since June after their spacecraft experienced technical issues.
- The spacecraft is back on Earth, but they’ll be on the ISS until February.
- Read on to find out how they’re feeling about it. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
“That’s how it goes in this business.”
That’s what astronaut Butch Wilmore said in a news conference from space on Sept. 13 in regards to how he felt about being there longer than planned.
He and fellow astronaut Suni Williams travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) in June but found out that the spaceship they took there might not have been safe to return to Earth.
What was supposed to be an eight-day trip will now be eight months.
But how did this happen and what’s next?
We asked our KN Insiders what they wanted to know about it. Here are the answers to those questions from them and more.
What are the KN Insiders and how can you get involved? Click here!
Why are they stuck? What went wrong?
NASA astronauts Williams and Wilmore took off on June 5 aboard a Boeing spacecraft called Starliner.
They were scheduled to be on the ISS for seven days.
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In a media conference from the ISS on Sept. 13, Suni Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore said they’re dealing with the news of their delayed return to Earth pretty well. (Image credit: NASA/The Associated Press)
But problems with Starliner began before it launched.
Ground crews detected two helium leaks, but NASA and Boeing decided to launch anyway.
They weren’t sure what was causing the leaks.
Once in space, more leaks were discovered, and as the two astronauts attempted to dock on the ISS, some of the ship’s thrusters (small rocket engines) shut down.
Still, Wilmore and Williams arrived safely.
What happened to the spaceship?
NASA said that the crew would return on the Starliner, but on Aug. 24, it announced it had changed its mind.
Instead, the two astronauts would return in February aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
About a week later, Starliner made its return back to Earth with no one aboard, landing safely at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on Sept. 7.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft that launched Williams and Wilmore to space returned home safely to Earth on Sept. 7. (Image credit: NASA)
What company sent them up?
The astronauts work for NASA, an agency of the U.S. government.
The spacecraft, however, was built by Boeing, an aerospace company.
NASA said the crew isn’t actually stuck in space.
“In my view, they were never really stuck or stranded. They always had a way to depart the space station,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program.
NASA said that, technically, it still considered the Starliner safe enough to use for a return, but thought it even safer to delay until February and use a different spacecraft, SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
How are the astronauts coping?
Transitioning to life on the ISS was “not that hard” said Williams, because she and Wilmore have been there before.
“This is my happy place. I love being up here in space,” she said in the Sept. 13 news conference.
That being said, both Wilmore and Williams said they’re a bit bummed that they had to cancel plans with family and friends that they were looking forward to.
Wilmore, for example, said he’ll be missing out on his youngest daughter’s last year of high school.
Wilmore and Williams aren’t wasting time at the ISS. They joined the rest of the crew aboard and are helping with experiments. (Image credit: Glenn Benson/NASA)
How are they keeping busy?
While they wait, the two astronauts have been made part of the ISS crew, making a total of 12 astronauts on board for the time being.
They’ve already done more than 40 experiments and more than 100 hours of work, according to Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s ISS.
“They're not just passengers on this vehicle; they’re part of the team,” said Anthony Vareha, flight director of the ISS, during the news conference.
Will it affect them physically?
Staying in space longer could also be more challenging on Williams’s and Wilmore’s bodies.
That’s because being in space makes you weightless, meaning it’s easier for your muscles and bones to break down over time without the pressure of gravity to strengthen them like on Earth.
“It is a bit of a change from a sprint to a marathon,” said Dr. Adam Sirek of the Canadian Society of Aerospace Medicine.
He said the astronauts willnow need to spend more time on the already limited amount of exercise equipment on the station, which all the astronauts aboard need to share.
Thanks to our KN Insiders for their thoughtful questions. Want to know how you can get involved? Read more about the KN Insiders here .
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With files from Nicole Mortillaro/CBC and The Associated Press