Astronauts Reveal Near Disaster During Boeing Starliner Docking

HOUSTON, Texas — NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore recently recounted their harrowing experience aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft during its perilous docking at the International Space Station (ISS).

In a segment on ‘Fox & Friends,’ Hemmer discussed their nine-month stay in space and the frightening moments leading up to the Starliner’s docking on June 5, 2024. Wilmore revealed that the crew faced catastrophic failures with multiple thrusters just as they approached the ISS.

“We lost the first thruster, and then a second one followed,” Wilmore recalled. “Typically, such failures would lead to an abort of the mission, but NASA waived the flight rules for our safety.”

Wilmore cited a moment during the docking process when he realized just how precarious their situation had become. “I don’t know that we can come back to Earth at that point,” he said, adding that he was visualizing orbital mechanics as they struggled for control of the spacecraft.

Williams described the tense atmosphere in the capsule, recalling, “There was a lot of unsaid communication.” Both astronauts felt the weight of the moment, acknowledging the possibility of failing their mission as the spacecraft’s thrusters continued to malfunction.

NASA’s Mission Control intervened to take manual control of the spacecraft after a reset restored some thruster functionality. “Oh, phew, let’s just take a breather,” Williams expressed, relieved when Starliner finally docked with the ISS.

The docking was not without complications. The astronauts ended up spending 286 days aboard the ISS, much longer than their original plan of just one week due to ongoing issues with the Starliner.

Wilmore noted that they expected more challenges ahead. “I was thinking, we might not come home in the spacecraft. We might not,” he stated, expressing concern over the spacecraft’s ongoing malfunctions.

Ultimately, the Starliner returned on September 7, 2024, without any crew on board, as NASA worked to address the spacecraft’s technical issues. Williams and Wilmore returned to Earth in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on March 18, encountered with the realities of their prolonged stay.

As attention turns to Boeing’s Starliner program, it remains unclear when the spacecraft will be certified for another crewed flight. NASA officials indicate that significant work is still required before any future launches.