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Needham Native, Second Astronaut Will Hitch Return Ride On SpaceX Rocket Amid Starliner Trouble Needham Native, Second Astronaut Will Hitch Return Ride On SpaceX Rocket Amid Starliner Trouble
Needham Native, Second Astronaut Will Hitch Return Ride On SpaceX Rocket Amid Starliner Trouble After spending months in limbo aboard the International Space Station, an astronaut from Massachusetts finally has a return date to Earth. Pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, and commander Butch Wilmore will abandon Boeing’s troubled Starliner and instead hitch a ride on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025, NASA confirmed Saturday, Aug. 24. The stunning decision capped off 11 weeks of uncertainty after NASA discovered numerous helium leaks and malfunctions with Starliner’s thrusters following its launch from Florida's Space Coast on Wednesday, June 5. Ea…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Stuck In Space: Mass Astronaut Faces Uncertain Return Date Amid Starliner Troubles Stuck In Space: Mass Astronaut Faces Uncertain Return Date Amid Starliner Troubles
Stuck In Space: Mass Astronaut Faces Uncertain Return Date Amid Starliner Troubles A Massachusetts native is among two American astronauts facing an uncertain return date to Earth amid ongoing problems with the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft. Pilot and Needham native Suni Williams, along with commander Butch Wilmore, remains stuck on the International Space Station nearly a week after their expected departure date while NASA crews work to understand several issues that have arisen since the pair launched into orbit on Wednesday, June 5. Among the problems sparking concern are malfunctions of the vehicle’s thrusters and numerous helium leaks that sprang up during their…

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by Michael Mashburn