Two astronauts who left Earth in June remain at International Space Station after issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule
Archived version: https://archive.ph/2Z8Bn
Damn. Going from 8 days to almost 8 months must be pretty shitty news for the astronauts. I get that it’s all defined as a test and these things can happen, but it’s not a good look for Boeing at all.
Good thing for Boeing that their civil aviation branch is above suspicion, otherwise it would be very bad. But as long as they look very serious here, I’m sure they’ll continue to deserve all that public money for their big projects, which is obviously great for everyone! /s
I’m sure they’ll continue to deserve all that public money for their big projects, which is obviously great for everyone! /s
Not sure how the current problems are handled, but the Starliner development was a fixed-cost rather than cost-plus contract for once. So at least Boeing ate massive losses on that one.
If I was an astronaut, knowing that this is likely the only time I’ll be in space ever, I don’t think I’d be mad at staying longer.
I would be mad.
I just don’t really think that the ISS is such a nice place to be.
It would be absolutely amazing to be lucky enough to visit there for a few weeks.
By that time though it would start to get old.
It’s not exciting space exploration - it’s being stuck in a smelly can in zero-g.
According to former astronauts, they’re probably happy. Maybe a bit down about not meeting family, but not unhappy about having to stay in space.
a three hour tour. a three hour tour.
Does it all count as overtime? 😏
“you weren’t scheduled to come in, policy says you can’t clock in unless on the schedule, I’m voiding the last 4 hours(months)”
By the time they get back Boeing stock will be almost free.
Can you imagine if they broke the record for the longest stay on the ISS this way?
I mean, that would be terrible.
Microgravity is horrible for the human body. Bones lose density, the heart enlarges, and all muscles atrophy. It takes months or years to recover from prolonged microgravity, they were supposed to be up there for like a week, where none of that is an issue.
I’m sure if they really wanted to come down, nasa would put them on a different capsule and get them down, but then that just means 2 other people, who’ve been up there longer than them, have to stay in microgravity for even longer than they planned.