When Will Sunita Williams Return? 'No Major Announcement Regarding Return Date,' says NASA

NASA and Boeing will hold a media teleconference at 9 PM on Thursday, July 25, to provide the latest information on their Boeing Crew Flight Test mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The update will focus on the status of the mission and the return of two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, who have spent more time in space than initially planned.

The press conference is expected to offer insights into the ongoing "ground hot fire testing" being conducted to ensure the safe return of the Starliner spacecraft to Earth. This testing is part of efforts to address the technical issues that have extended the astronauts' mission.

Here is what you need to know

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched on Boeing's Starliner capsule on June 5, with their return originally expected around June 14. However, their return has been delayed due to issues with the spacecraft’s propulsion system, which is crucial for maneuvering. According to officials, "Helium leaks and thruster failures nearly prevented their docking with the International Space Station and have extended their stay in space far beyond the initial schedule."

NASA's press conference begins

NASA's press conference has started. The press conference is being addressed by Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and Mark Nappi, vice president and manager of Boeing's Commercial Crew Program.

“Last time, we talked, it was about two weeks ago. A lot has transpired in the two weeks. We don't have a major announcement regarding the return date,” said Steve Stitch. “We are just not there yet,” he added. 

“We'll come home when we're ready," said Stich, adding that the goal is to bring Wilmore and Williams back aboard Starliner.

Stich acknowledged that backup options are under review.

Engineers last week completed testing on a spare thruster in the New Mexico desert and will rip it apart to try to understand what went wrong during docking. Five thrusters failed as the capsule approached the space station on June 6, a day after liftoff. Four have since been reactivated.

It appeared degraded seals are to blame for the helium leaks and thruster problems, but more analysis is needed. The team will test-fire the thrusters this weekend while docked to the space station to gather more data, said Boeing's Mark Nappi.

After the space shuttles retired, NASA hired private companies for astronaut rides to the space station, paying Boeing and SpaceX billions of dollars.

This was the Boeing's first test flight with a crew aboard. SpaceX has been ferrying astronauts since 2020. 

(With inputs from AP).