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.
I wonder if the astronauts stuck on the ISS feel like it is Boeing that is the one taking the L here.
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.
At least zero g deadens your sense of smell!
I thought that was the 5g covid activation
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.
They sabotaged the return capsule to stay longer haha
Does it all count as overtime? 😏
They’re Americans. What do you think?
“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)”
“Also, we’re going to have to charge you for room and board.”
They should be happy they are allowed to go home!
Sometimes in the future.
Best I can do is per diem.
a three hour tour. a three hour tour.
I need to see if I can find those somewhere, huge nostalgia kick
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.
They have exercise equipment up there. They still lose bone and muscle density, but they work to keep from complete atrophy.
Source: Tosh had an astronaut on his podcast recently.
Remarkable US space program failure.
maybe 100 tampons was a good idea after all. lol
I’m curious, what’s the food and water situation like for these astronauts?
They should be good. Cygnus capsule arrived on Tuesday. Was a regularly scheduled resupply. They are using supplies faster. But there is always safety stock.
That’s great! Everyone was joking about the doors falling off of Starliner, but I still find it unbelievable that these poor people are actually stuck for 8 months.
That option is the longest possible of around 5 NASA covered yesterday. So of course it’s the one the media is focusing on today.
The update yesterday was over an hour long and had much better news.
So we can now add Avenue 5 to the list of HBO shows that have predicted the future.
