Why Tennessee astronaut Butch Wilmore could be in space until 2025 as NASA explores return

What was supposed to be an approximately one-week test flight could now possibly turn into a one-year expedition.

When NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams launched to space aboard Boeing's Starliner on June 5 on its first crewed flight to certify the spacecraft, no one anticipated a two month stay.

But that's what it's become as the two astronauts remain on the International Space Station with no return date in sight.

Wilmore, a retired U.S. Navy captain, joined NASA in 2000. He graduated from the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma with a master’s degree in aviation systems in 1994 and holds a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Tech University.

NASA is in a complicated situation. Starliner's issues and return capabilities remain shrouded in uncertainty. Meanwhile, the planned launch of NASA Crew-9 on a SpaceX Dragon is quickly approaching, which would put another four astronauts on the station for a long-duration mission.

Originally planned for mid-August, NASA announced that the launch of Crew-9 would now be no earlier than September 24. The reasoning behind this move is to allow more time for teams to assess the situation with Starliner and its crew.

One option might be: making Williams and Wilmore part of Crew-9, so essentially flying up with only two and not four astronauts on the Crew-9 Dragon. Although no official decision has been made, that would allow the two Starliner astronauts to return on a Crew Dragon in spring of 2025. NASA said they've been talking to SpaceX about this option.

What that would mean for Starliner and its return — with or without astronauts — is uncertain.

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NASA's Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, told media that the situation with Starliner is new − and emphasized it's not the only vehicle NASA has enlisted. "We don't just have to bring them back on Starliner," said Bowersox. "We could deal with this in the future. This is why we need multiple vehicles."

Boeing and NASA teams continue to assess the issues with helium leaks and thruster problems on Starliner that first came to the forefront even before Starliner's launch and then continued as it headed in to dock with the station in June.

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NASA officials said during a briefing Wednesday that they are currently weighing alternatives to get the two astronauts home. It was notable that no Boeing official participated in the conference.

While teams are still working to understand the issues with Starliner, and aim to bring the astronauts home on Starliner, NASA has started talking publicly about alternatives. There's that one possibility of Williams and Wilmore becoming two members of Crew-9 − and having the Starliner Crew return on Dragon six months later.

"When we started this mission, it was a test mission. We knew it had a potentially higher risk than a flight on a vehicle that has more flights on it," Bowersox said, noting there's quite a bit of "uncertainty" right now.

He added that simply not returning Williams and Wilmore on Starliner will cause risk to future ISS activity, such as resources, mission objectives, and timing. "We need to compare all those risks, and we'll weigh that as we make our final decision."

Reporters asked how the two Starliner astronauts are coping with this uncertainty around their return home. NASA officials said that Williams and Wilmore are updated weekly and have been attending meetings.

But no official decision has been made as to a return date or a return vehicle.

Boeing's Starliner was contracted, along with SpaceX's Dragon, by NASA to fly astronauts to the station as part of the commercial crew program in 2014. The initial contracts were for $4.82 billion for Boeing and $3.14 billion for SpaceX. Since 2020, SpaceX has launched 13 crewed missions with a mix of NASA and private crews.

Knox News High Tech Growth Reporter Daniel Dassow contributed to this story.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Why Tennessee's Starliner astronaut could remain in space until 2025