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NASA decides to return astronauts stranded on space station to Earth next year

2024-08-25

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The US space agency announced on the 24th local time that it has decided to allow two American astronauts stranded on the International Space Station to return to Earth on the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation's "Dragon" spacecraft in February next year, while the Boeing "Starliner" that will carry them to space is expected to return to Earth without humans in early September this year.

NASA said that the unmanned return of the Starliner will allow NASA and Boeing to continue collecting relevant test data during its return process without allowing astronauts to "take on risks beyond unnecessary limits."

On June 5 this year, American astronauts Wilmore and Williams were launched on the first manned test flight of Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft and arrived at the International Space Station the next day. The spacecraft was originally scheduled to leave the International Space Station and return to Earth on June 14, but due to problems such as thruster failure and helium leakage, the return time has been repeatedly postponed. The two astronauts have been stranded at the International Space Station for more than two months.

Editor: Liu Shengtao

Editor: Zhou Yuqian