Nasa could return astronauts on space station before replacements arrive
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Four astronauts could leave the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday (Nov 7) without their replacement team having arrived to take over, Nasa announced Thursday, but the timing remains uncertain due to weather conditions.
The four members of the Crew-2 mission, including a French and a Japanese astronaut, are due to return to Earth this month after spending about six months on board the ISS.
Normally they would have to wait for four other astronauts – three Americans and a German from the Crew-3 mission – to arrive aboard the space station to take their place.
But the takeoff of the next mission’s rocket, which had already been postponed several times and had been rescheduled for this weekend, was once again cancelled because of unfavourable weather conditions, Nasa said in a statement.
As a result, the space agency is now considering returning Crew-2 to Earth before Crew-3 launches.
“The earliest possible opportunity for undocking” the capsule to bring Crew-2 back to Earth would be at 1.05 pm Sunday Florida time (1.05am Monday Singapore time ), Nasa said.
A withdrawal opportunity is possible on Monday, Nasa added, without giving a specific timetable.
Once detached from the ISS, the capsule will begin a journey of several hours, the duration of which can vary greatly depending on the trajectory, and will then land off the coast of Florida.
The closest launch opportunity for the Crew-3 take off is at 9.51pm on Monday, but only if Nasa does not return Crew-2 on Sunday or Monday.
Crew-3 is scheduled to take off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, where astronauts have been in quarantine for days.
“Mission teams will make a final decision on whether to prioritise Crew-3’s launch or Crew-2’s return in the coming days based on the likelihood of favourable conditions,” Nasa said.
The two missions are being carried out by Nasa in collaboration with SpaceX, which now provides regular missions to the ISS from the United States.
“These are dynamic and complex decisions that change day by day,” said Nasa’s Commercial Crew Programme manager Steve Stich. “The weather in November can be especially challenging.”
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