The astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) recently had to take shelter in the docked spaceships due to concerns about fragments from a broken Russian satellite posing a threat. Among the ships providing shelter was Boeing’s new Starliner, which had detected multiple control valve leaks, leading to a postponed return flight to Earth. The astronauts were woken up and moved to the docked ships as a precautionary measure.
The fragment of the Russian satellite, Resurs-P1, which broke up in orbit, prompted the alarm that led to the astronauts taking shelter in the docked ships. The fast-moving fragments posed a risk of collision with the space station, potentially causing significant damage. NASA did not specify the exact reason for moving the astronauts to the shelter, but it was believed to be related to the satellite breakup.
While in the shelter on the docked ships, the astronauts had to wait for the investigation and resolution of the control valve leaks on the Starliner before they could return to Earth. The postponed return flight was now scheduled for early July, after multiple leaks were detected on the Starliner, delaying the initial plans for a shorter flight duration.
The delays caused NASA to plan for a longer stay on the space station for the astronauts, Sunny Williams and Butch Wilmore, who had flown the Starliner to the station. While leaks were detected before departure, more were found as the ship approached the station, leading to a thorough investigation before the craft’s return to Earth. During this time, the Starliner would remain on standby for any emergencies that may require a return to Earth for the astronauts.