[tomder55]

When NASA decides to extend a mission that was scheduled for days , to up the 3 months because the return capsule is disabled.

More than three weeks into a mission that was initially projected to last only days, the two astronauts piloting the inaugural crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft do not know when they will return home.
Officials have repeatedly indicated that the Starliner — which encountered issues with helium leaks and thruster outages en route to the International Space Station in early June — will be safe to bring astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore home.
Still, Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, said Friday that the space agency is considering extending the maximum length of Starliner’s mission from 45 days to 90 days. And there is no firm return date on the horizon.

Boeing, NASA consider extending astronauts’ Starliner mission up to 3 months | CNN

[tomder55]

yep still stuck on ISS with no return date in site . That is 53 days stuck in space. And you think the Delta delays were rough ?

They flew on a Boeing Starliner . Why not just send up a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon to retrieve them ? I bet a mission could be designed and completed in a matter of days . Space X has a record of success in ISS missions . In fact ;Space X has delivered and returned 50 astronauts . Starliner got them there but can't get them back .

[tomder55]

Now NASA is talking about a February rescue mission. Outrageous !!

The difference between Boeing's Starliner (the one NASA wants ) and Musk's Space X is striking. Private space is the future .

[jlisenbe]

Absolutely correct. The age of government controlled space exploration should be over. Space X is amazing in what they do. Turn it over to them. But Biden won't do that because Musk tends to sometimes side with conservative groups.

[tomder55]

yeah Musk tends to react badly when the deep state Censorship Industrial Complex tries to shut down the only true independent major platform. Just imagine where we would be if Musk failed in getting twitter X . Musk doesn't take kindly to Clueless Joe's administrative state trying to take him down through punitive regulations and using anti-trust laws against him and his businesses .

Musk ups and leaves when states tax his businesses to death and create an unfriendly business environment .

Musk doesn't take kindly to having 2 assassination attempts against him this year .

’Dangerous times ahead!’ Elon Musk faced two assassination attempts in last 8 months, reveals Tesla CEO | Today News (livemint.com)

[tomder55]

Astronauts have had extended stays . But they are trained for it . Muscles atrophy in space . They can do a series of exercises in the ISS . But that really doesn't compensate for gravity exercises.

Now NASA is considering an emergency mission that would get them back to earth in February. Trained for an 8 day mission and now will have to stay there for 8 months .

The Starliner they came on may have to return to Earth unoccupied . A SpaceX mission designed to carry 4 will go to ISS with a crew of 2 so there is seating for the stranded crew.

In the meantime, Boeing finds itself in the hot seat. This first flight of Starliner came seven years after its initially promised 2017 launch, and the ship has cost $1.5 billion more than the original $4.2 billion contract NASA awarded the company.

NASA Has Some Bad News for Its Stranded Astronauts | TIME

That's government work for ya.

[jlisenbe]

30% over budget, 7 years late, and doesn't work. Surprised, anyone?

[tomder55]

They are finally home. Musk said it could be done. Trump said get it done. So a SpaceX rocket went to ISS and a SpaceX Dragon capsule safely splashed down ;greeted by a school of dolphins .

DOLPHINS swim around SPACEX CAPSULE after splashdown from the ISS

Great job!

Musk revealed that he offered to Clueless Joe to send a rescue mission months ago . But Joe refused ;in Musk's words ,for political reasons

Elon Musk sets the record straight on plan to bring stranded astronauts home

The rescue would've occurred during the height of the campaign. Words can't describe my disgust.

[jlisenbe]

Now we wait for the lib dems to talk about how Musk only did it to make money.

[tomder55]

Fresh in the wake of the triumphant rescue by SpaceX ;and as they aim for the moon and Mars ;Blue Origin had a DEI flight to the edge of space (enough the achieve weightlessness for 4 minutes ) . An all female celebrity crew got to pontificate about glam , fashion and eyelash extensions as they reached infinity in a phallic looking booster .
We are going to put the ‘ass’ in astronaut.”

The full mission lasted less than a half hour

WATCH FULL Blue Origin all-women launch and recovery, Katy Perry, Gayle King

They did their gender proud .