NASA official acknowledges internal "disagreement" on safety of Starliner return

During a recent news conference, NASA officials revealed internal disagreements regarding the safety of the Starliner spacecraft, which is set to return astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station. Concerns have been raised about the reliability of the spacecraft's 28 reaction control system thrusters, particularly after five thrusters failed during a previous ascent. NASA has been collaborating with SpaceX on a potential rescue mission for the astronauts, leading to a delay in the Crew-9 mission launch to September 24. NASA's chief of human spaceflight operations, Ken Bowersox, acknowledged the healthy nature of these discussions, despite the discomfort they may cause. Two options for the astronauts' return are being considered: they could return on Starliner if confidence in the thruster performance improves, or they could join a reduced Crew-9 mission and return to Earth in February 2025. A final decision on the return method is expected by mid-August, as NASA continues to investigate the thruster issues to ensure a safe return.

- NASA officials acknowledge internal disagreements about Starliner's safety.

- Concerns focus on the spacecraft's thruster reliability after previous failures.

- NASA is considering a potential SpaceX rescue mission for the astronauts.

- The Crew-9 mission launch has been delayed to September 24.

- A decision on the astronauts' return method is expected by mid-August.