--- title: "Stranded Astronauts “Absolutely Confident” in Boeing’s Leaky Starliner" description: "The crew of Boeing's Starliner is still indefinitely stuck on board the ISS. They're \"absolutely confident\" they can get back home." date: "2024-07-10" modified: "2024-07-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/stranded-astronauts-confident-boeing-starliner" categories: - "Boeing" - "Space" tags: - "boeing" - "international space station" - "NASA" - "starliner" --- # Stranded Astronauts “Absolutely Confident” in Boeing’s Leaky Starliner ![The crew of Boeing's Starliner is still indefinitely stuck on board the ISS. They're "absolutely confident" they can get back home.]() *\Image: NASA\* ## ISS Stranding NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are [still stuck indefinitely]() on board the International Space Station after their ride, Boeing's plagued Starliner, [sprang several helium leaks](), kicking off a lengthy investigation. And while NASA insists the pair are "[not stranded in space]()," the space agency still hasn't announced a date for their long-deferred return journey. However, Wilmore and Williams, who [arrived at the station]() on June 6 and were meant to return on June 14, are still in good spirits. "We're absolutely confident," Wilmore [said]() during a live stream on Wednesday, their first live press conference since launching to space. "We've been through a lot of simulations... and I think where we are right now... I feel confident that if we had to, if there was a problem with the International Space Station, we could get in our spacecraft, we could undock, talk to our team, and figure out the best way to come home," Williams added. ## No Problem Even before it hobbled to the International Space Station, Boeing was struggling with the development of its Starliner spacecraft, including [years of delays and technical issues](). Ever since engineers discovered several helium leaks affecting the capsule's propulsion system, NASA and Boeing engineers have been [poring over the data]() to figure out what went wrong. Five thrusters failed during docking, while four have since been reactivated, as the [*Associated Press* reports](). Wilmore said there's plenty of thrust to get them back to Earth, including even beefier backup thrusters. "We trust that the tests that we’re doing are the ones we need to do to get the right answers, to give us the data that we need to come back," Wilmore said. "I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem," Williams added. **More on Starliner:** *[Former Astronaut Explains How the Astronauts Stranded in Space Might Be Feeling]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()