Stranded in space: The risks and challenges facing astronauts who have yet to return to Earth

Mira: “Kamala Harris needs to show up. As vice president, she’s been almost invisible.”

“We want to get there and back as quickly as possible so they can turn our spacecraft around and learn the lessons and incorporate them into the next starliner.” Wilmore told Time magazine a few weeks before the flight.

The mission was short but interesting: to go to the International Space Station (ISS) and test whether the Starliner capsule developed by Boeing can serve as a “space taxi” to transport astronauts. However, the device had problems from the beginning, such as a helium leak and multiple failures of the propulsion system. NASA could not risk the astronauts by letting them fly again in the capsule, otherwise they might face more problems on their return. Therefore, the astronauts must remain at the ISS until a decision is made, which could come next week.

The first option – and by far the most feasible – is that Williams and Wilmore stay in February, when they can return in February on a Dragon spacecraft of SpaceX, the aerospace company of millionaire Elon Musk. The device is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station in September on a mission called Crew-9 and will stay until February next year. If this is the case, the mission will carry only two astronauts, instead of the planned four, so that Williams and Wilmore can occupy the other two seats on the return to Earth.

If this alternative is taken, the Starliner capsule will return to Earth without a crew, which would be a huge image blow for Boeing, which is trying to develop its space equipment more aggressively. For now, SpaceX is winning this race.

The second option is for the astronauts to return on the Starliner, hoping there won’t be any setbacks. Boeing said the booster problem wouldn’t prevent Williams and Wilmore from returning safely, but the risk is too great.

A third option would have been for the two to return on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, but NASA was reluctant to play the geopolitical card because it would mean that in the eyes of the world Moscow was throwing the United States a lifeline.

Whatever alternative NASA takes, many are concerned about the situation of the astronauts, because of the uncertainty they are in and the risks to their health. However, Peruvian astrophysicist Carla Arce Tord told El Comercio that the outlook is not so negative. “The normal stay on the ISS is six months, and both Williams and Wilmore will stay a few months longer than usual, which is not much, so the lives of the astronauts are not at risk,” he pointed out. The situation is under control, supplies are sufficient, and there is no danger. “They are well-trained and experienced astronauts, so as long as they are on the ISS there should be no problem.”

Potential risks

However, orbiting the Earth for months isn’t exactly a beach vacation.

“Astronauts have a record of staying a year on the ISS, but here, health issues are important, especially because they can be affected by osteoporosis,” Julio Valdivia, director of bioengineering and chemical engineering at the ISS University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC), told El Comercio.

“The muscles become useless under the force of gravity, causing the bones to start decalcifying. It was found that those who came back after three months were already severely affected by osteoporosis,” he added.

Arce Tod also warned that astronauts could be exposed to potential dangers if they stay in space for long periods of time and continuously. “They receive direct solar radiation, especially those who carry out space walks, as well as radiation from cosmic rays. Another problem is microgravity conditions, as they affect muscle development and bone condition,” the astrophysicist added. Therefore, they must do two hours of physical exercise every day.

“Another concern is mental health. That is why it is recommended not to extend the stay, as being away from the home environment and confined to a space station orbiting the Earth could have an impact on long-term mental health,” Arce-Todd said.

Likewise, food is extremely important in space, which is why astronauts consume 2,800 calories per day.

What is it like to live in space?

While NASA ponders this, astronauts have been helping their colleagues on the ISS with scientific research and maintenance tasks. But accommodations are not easy, especially because the ISS was designed to accommodate six or seven people, but now has nine, so there are many logistical challenges, especially when it comes to sleeping.

Sunita Williams had to share a small bedroom in the Columbus module, called CASA, with another astronaut. Wilmore had a harder time, sleeping in a sleeping bag tied to the wall of the Kibo module in the Japan Sector of the International Space Station.

Although astronauts are trained to spend long periods of time in space, Wilmore and Williams — retired Navy captains who understand the extremes — were only going for short trips, so they didn’t bring extra clothes or enough food. In fact, they wore the same clothes for two months (they can’t be washed in space, and astronauts throw them away when they get dirty) until the International Space Station recently delivered food and new clothes.

Boeing Problems

The launch of Wilmore and Williams marked the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule. As NBC recalls, the mission was intended to be a crucial final test before NASA certified Boeing for regular flights to the International Space Station, a goal SpaceX achieved in 2020.

However, as the spacecraft approached the space station, five of Starliner’s thrusters failed, causing delays in the rendezvous and docking process. In fact, ice leaks arose before the June launch, delaying the flight date.

“These docking procedures, while not frequent events, are an expected risk,” Valdivia explained, noting that repairing the capsule could be an option to consider, but that would take time. “They could repair it, but that would also mean risk and more expense, because the astronauts would have to leave the station to repair it, unless a team did it, which is very expensive,” he added. “For safety reasons, it would be better for a probe to rescue them.”

For Arce Todt, it is not uncommon for these devices used for space purposes to have technical defects. “These types of capsules, like the Starliner that transports astronauts, are becoming more and more complex and delicate. The ideal situation for astronauts is to be 100% insured, no matter how small the damage. If there is a small chance that something will fail, it is better to cancel the mission,” he explains.

While NASA made the best decision for Williams and Wilmore, both men jumped at the opportunity to continue observing Earth from afar.