NASA is addressing an impending congestion at the International Space Station (ISS) due to delays and technical issues with SpaceX and Boeing. The agency expects increased traffic at the ISS next month, a situation it views positively despite recent operational setbacks.
Challenges with Starliner and SpaceX
Recent ISS activities have included propulsion issues with Boeing’s Starliner and emergency sheltering due to debris from a defunct Russian satellite. Technical problems with spacesuits led to canceled spacewalks, and SpaceX experienced a rocket failure impacting astronaut transport.
Starliner, currently docked with NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, is facing propulsion issues. This has extended their mission, originally planned to be shorter. NASA plans to prioritize Starliner’s return to free up docking space, with Crew-9, a SpaceX mission, set to launch no earlier than August 18.
Technical Fixes and Future Plans
NASA and Boeing are addressing Starliner’s overheating propulsion system and degraded helium seals. Boeing faces scrutiny, but officials assure astronaut safety. SpaceX also encountered a failure during a Starlink satellite launch on July 11 due to a liquid oxygen leak, marking the first Falcon 9 failure since 2016. SpaceX has identified the issue and is working on fixes, with the next launch scheduled for Saturday.
NASA is coordinating with SpaceX to ensure future mission safety and is preparing for a critical Starliner thruster test this weekend, which will determine if the spacecraft can return to Earth.