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Are NASA’s Boeing astronauts safe or not?
Amidst tabloid speculations of the declining health of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, NASA has stepped in to rebut the claims and reassure the public about the good health of the astronauts.
2024 was proven unfruitful for Boeing amidst multiple safety concerns about its planes and ongoing lawsuits. In current news, its nightmares have also gone beyond our atmosphere with the company facing delays in the return of astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
In early June, Boeing launched both astronauts aboard its Starliner spacecraft for an intended eight-day test flight to the International Space Station (ISS). Its mission was to attest that the spacecraft had the capabilities for future crewed missions — a feat that following events proved unsuccessful.
Due to technical issues such as helium leaks and thruster failures, the eight-day trip dragged into a nine-month delay in the return of its astronauts who are currently aboard the ISS. This setback would mean that both of them would spend a total of approximately 240 days in space. Amidst the heightened logistical tension, more fuel has been added to the fire with medical professionals coming forward with concerns for the health of both…