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Science & Technology
Astronauts trapped in space by Boeing's faulty Starliner are given horrifying news about potential return to Earth
2024-08-08
[DM] NASA astronauts stranded due to Boeing's faulty Starliner received horrifying news on Wednesday about their return mission to Earth.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have already been trapped on the International Space Station (ISS) for more than two months, may not come back to Earth until February 2025.

The US space agency revealed a contingency plan that would launch a two-person crew on SpaceX's Crew-9 mission in September, but still wouldn't bring the crew home until months later.

The announcement is another highly embarrassing blow for the embattled Boeing, which is dealing with a spate of issues plaguing its commercial jets.
Posted by:Skidmark

#16  They left out the software for auto flight on this one,

What the hell kind of engineer thinks like that? "We didn't need the jack and the spare last trip, so let's leave them home."

If I was building a space ship, some autonomous flight capability would be on the list of must-haves. Useful for cargo delivery and a just-in-case for getting the crew back home if they are incapacitated. Or in a situation like this.

I smell bean counters.
Posted by: SteveS   2024-08-08 21:13  

#15  *Ford/Chevy Taunting Has Entered The Chat*
Posted by: swksvolFF   2024-08-08 21:10  

#14  ^ Bingo & Fortran4 To You - -Good Buddy - Over & Out - CBs is Cricks & Cracking -😂
Posted by: Cremble Hatrack3901   2024-08-08 19:22  

#13  "We had a box of IBM punchcards in Fortran, but JOE dropped it and now we have to reorder them and punch new ones for ones that got crinkled"

/College memories
Posted by: Frank G   2024-08-08 18:22  

#12  What did they do, install the auto software in ROM chips? Or was autopilot done with an auxiliary CPU board that was replaced with life support controls for manned flight?
Posted by: James   2024-08-08 17:34  

#11  OK. Item 1: Stop buying manned spacecraft stuff from Boeing. They clearly don't know what they're doing, and are willing to lie to you.
The original version of Starliner flew on automatic. Had to, there was no crew. They left out the software for auto flight on this one, and can't install the software until CrewDragon arrives. Apparently the software comes on 3 1/2" floppies, and they need to send 200 lbs of "update", or some such.
So they can safely throw away the Starliner.
Boy, them Boeing engineers make you proud, don't they?
Posted by: ed in texas   2024-08-08 15:40  

#10  An embarrassing blow to Boeing? What about NASA? Are they not embarrassed?
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2024-08-08 14:39  

#9  They had no extra clothes with them and have been borrowing from others on the station. By February will they even have rags to wear?
Posted by: 3dc   2024-08-08 14:10  

#8  Evidently there was no Plan-B.
Posted by: Besoeker   2024-08-08 14:00  

#7   Hope they had people appointed to pay their rent, utilities and sit the cat.

"We're only going to be gone for a week."
Posted by: SteveS   2024-08-08 13:52  

#6  Half the time they will be over the sea, Procopius2k…
Posted by: trailing wife   2024-08-08 13:41  

#5  Hope they had people appointed to pay their rent, utilities and sit the cat. By the way, does this count as 'overseas' for income tax purposes?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2024-08-08 13:27  

#4  DEI kills.
Posted by: Grom the Reflective   2024-08-08 13:25  

#3  'You are going to have to walk home, but it's all downhill.'
Posted by: swksvolFF   2024-08-08 13:19  

#2  It's road trips for the foreseeable future.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2024-08-08 11:50  

#1  DEI, baby! Get woke, go broke!
Posted by: Bobby   2024-08-08 11:43  

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