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Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore could vaporize to death if they return on faulty Starliner: Expert

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Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore could vaporize to death if they return on faulty Starliner: Expert

Aug 20, 2024 04:01 PM IST

Rudy Ridolfi, former US military Space System Commander, laid out three horrific scenarios that may unfold should NASA proceed with Starliner’s return to Earth

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been “stranded” in space for more than two months now. The NASA astronauts docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 as part of Boeing Starliner’s inaugural test. Their stay was initially due for just eight days. But, the capsule experienced an unexpected fault with its thrusters, forcing it to remain docked indefinitely. Amid the growing tensions about their return to Earth, an expert has revealed three horrific scenarios that could happen should they proceed with the faulty Starliner.

(FILES) NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore (R) and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits, depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center for Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to board the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test launch , on June 5, 2024. Two astronauts stranded in space may sound like the start to a big-screen science thriller, but the Boeing Starliner mission is no work of Hollywood fiction. Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams were originally scheduled to spend a little more than a week aboard the International Space Station as part of the debut crew flight test of the Starliner. However, the spacecraft encountered several issues during the flight, and now the two astronauts will likely have to extend their stay aboard the ISS for several months. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP)(AFP)

NASA astronauts ‘stranded’ in space could be vaporized if they return to Earth on Boeing Starliner

The US space agency is debating whether to continue with Boeing Starliner’s return to Earth mission or launch the Space X rescue mission. Rudy Ridolfi, former US military Space System Commander, has laid out three horrific scenarios that may unfold should Williams and Wilmore embark on their journey back to Earth in the faulty spacecraft.

In a recent interview with Daily Mail, Ridolfi explained that in order for the Boeing Starliner to reenter Earth safely, its service module must put the capsule at an angled altitude.

“So long as the capsule is lined up correctly for reentry, everything’s fine,” Ridolfi told the outlet, adding, “[If the capsule is not lined up] they either burn up or bounce back into space. If the Starliner Service Module places the capsule in too steep of a reentry window then the capsule ablative heat shield would probably fail.”

Scenario one would involve the Boeing Starliner being stuck in space with failed thrusters and a 96-hour oxygen supply. This scenario is likely to occur if the spacecraft attempts to reenter Earth at the wrong angle, causing the capsule to bounce off the atmosphere.

Secondly, the spacecraft could bounce off the Earth’s atmosphere should its service module fail to line up for re-entry. Lastly, the worst-case scenario would be the astronauts being vaporized to death in space. Ridolfi noted that the horrific incident could take place if the angle is too steep, leading to an increase in friction and chances of the Starliner burning.

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