Misleading Claims About American Astronauts Stranded in Low Earth Orbit

People are increasingly fascinated by space exploration and astronauts, leading to frequent discussions on social media platforms. However, some of these posts contain misleading information, which can cause confusion and spread inaccuracies about space missions and related topics.

Social Media Posts

Social media posts have been circulating stating, "It is crazy that there are two American astronauts stranded in low Earth orbit without a clear answer on how or when they are getting home. And no one is talking about it..."

FB | Archived

We decided to do research on this.

Explanation

The Real Story:

Recent social media claims suggesting that American astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams are stranded in space are misleading. Here's the accurate information:

Extended Stay for Safety and Analysis: NASA and Boeing have decided to extend the stay of the Starliner crew capsule at the International Space Station (ISS). This decision allowed more time for thorough analysis and testing of helium leaks and thruster performance issues. You can get more details here.

Not Stranded: Despite the extended mission, the astronauts are not stranded. They remain cleared to undock and return to Earth anytime if an urgent situation arises. More details can be read here.

Standard Procedures: NASA is following standard mission management processes. A formal re-entry readiness review will be held before setting a new landing target date. This careful approach ensures that all potential issues are fully understood and addressed.

Confidence in Safety: Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, stated that the Starliner is performing well in orbit while docked to the ISS. The decision to extend the stay is strategic, aiming to complete necessary station activities and prepare the astronauts for their return.

Historical Context: Stich compared the situation to NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission, where a thorough review was conducted before the astronauts' return after two months on orbit. This standard procedure is applied to the Starliner mission to ensure safety and mission success.

Technical Details: The main issues involve helium leakage and thrusters located in the Starliner’s service module, which burns up in the atmosphere during re-entry. Engineers are using the extra time to review telemetry and test systems to ensure a safe return. More details can be read here.

Adequate Resources: The Starliner has more than enough helium onboard to manage the return to Earth, even if leaks worsen post-undocking. This was confirmed after successful thruster tests.

More details can be read here

Follow us and stay up to date with our latest fact checks.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Google News | TikTok

Conclusion:

The narrative that astronauts are stranded in space is inaccurate. NASA and Boeing are taking precautionary measures to ensure the astronauts' safe return, adhering to standard safety protocols and thorough analysis procedures. The extended stay at the ISS is a calculated decision to ensure mission success and astronaut safety, not an indication of them being stranded.