-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email After overcoming the mid-flight malfunctions of Boeing's commercial spacecraft, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore finally reached the safety of the International Space Station on Thursday. A decade in the making, Cape Canaveral's Wednesday launch was Boeing's third attempt after aborting two prior launches, due in part to helium leaks in the service module of its Starliner-series capsule, named Calypso by Williams. Though deft handling and scientific precision prevailed, the astronauts were beset by further helium leaks throughout the flight, including one known pre-launch and three discovered after their capsule was already in orbit.
The earth had held on tight to Calypso. Even strapped to the Atlas V's combined 90,250 pounds of rocket fuel, the Starliner capsule fought hard to break away — firing up its own thrusters in a final burn in order to stabilize its elliptical orbit. Free from gravity, Williams and Wilmore were just about to get some shut eye when mission control piped up.
Related Scientists recreate conditions of Saturnian moon in a lab — and it could help us find alien life "Looks like we picked up a couple more helium leaks," NASA said from the ground. "Butch, I'm sorry. We're still getting the story together.
" "We're ready," said Wilmore. "Give it to us." Back on the clock with a quickness, the two veteran astronauts got to work stoppering two culprit valves spotted by the hawk-eyed public scientists bel.
