After two months, astronauts stranded at the ISS may have a way back home

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NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched to the International Space Station in June with a plan for an eight-day mission. Their spacecraft, Boeing's Starliner, experienced hardware issues that have not yet been resolved. But now NASA is considering a plan to bring the two home on a SpaceX capsule. Central Florida Public Media's Brendan Byrne reports.

BRENDAN BYRNE, BYLINE: The mission is a test flight, carrying Wilmore and Williams, the first human passengers in Starliner. Shortly after launch, the vehicle encountered problems. First, a helium leak, then faulty thrusters. Since docking with the station in early June, NASA and Boeing have been investigating the root cause of those issues and trying to figure out if Starliner is safe enough to bring the astronauts home.

STEVE STICH: As we've said before, you know, our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.

BYRNE: NASA's Steve Stich says despite extensive testing both in space and here on the ground, the agency is still uncertain about the root cause for the thrusters failing in space.

STICH: We can't, you know, totally prove with certainty what we're seeing on orbit.

BYRNE: And that uncertainty has NASA looking for a backup ride to get the astronauts home. The agency asked SpaceX to prepare to rescue the crew in its Dragon capsule. Dragon was scheduled to launch later this month on a separate mission called Crew-9. NASA is now considering cutting two of the mission's four astronauts to make room for Wilmore and Williams to return on Dragon in February. Stich says NASA has pushed the Dragon launch to September as it considers that option, but hasn't made a decision.

STICH: Now, we haven't approved this plan. In other words, we've done all the work to make sure this plan is there. We have the suits identified to fly up on Crew-9. We have the seats set up so that we can fly a multiple complement of people.

BYRNE: The plane would also require a software update of Starliner to allow it to autonomously return home without a crew. In a statement to NPR, a Boeing spokesperson says the company still believes in Starliner's capability and will work with NASA with whatever decision the agency makes. Laura Forczyk is the executive director of Astralytical and a space industry analyst. She says no matter the outcome, Boeing's long-delayed Starliner program is taking a hit.

LAURA FORCZYK: None of this is good news for Boeing. It's a hurt to their reputation. It is a financial hit because these are fixed-price contracts. They are losing a lot of money on the Starliner program and on this particular mission.

BYRNE: NASA says it will make a decision on the crew's ride home later this month.

For NPR News, I'm Brendan Byrne in Orlando. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.