Astronauts Get Stuck in Space More Often Than You Think

Being stuck in space is the science fiction scenario that no one wants to experience… Yet, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are experiencing it right now aboard their Starliner spacecraft.

But rest assured: despite appearances, this is neither a first nor a desperate situation, explique National Geographic. In fact, the history of space exploration is full of astronauts whose time in orbit has extended beyond the original plans.

Helium leaks were discovered in Starliner’s propulsion system. Rather than rush the astronauts back to Earth with a deficient ship, NASA decided to extend their mission.

At first glance, this situation seems like a nightmare, but for astronauts it is almost routine. “It’s the best Christmas present they both could have.”jokes Chris Hadfield, a former U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy test pilot. “I would trade places with them in a heartbeat.” It must be said that in fact, being stuck in orbit is more common than one might think.

Nothing new under the stars

The most famous case is that of Sergei Krikalyov, a Russian cosmonaut, who saw his mission extended dramatically in 1991. He set off for a 150-day stay on board the Mir station, but remained there for 311 days because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, thus holding the record for time spent uninterrupted in space.

In 2022, Francisco Rubio broke this record, spending more than a year aboard his ship. While he had planned to return in March 2023 after six months on the ISS, he finally had to stay 371 days because of a micrometeorite (a small particle of matter entering the atmosphere) which damaged his Soyuz spacecraft.

“Houston, we have a problem.” This famous call, now known to all, is emblematic of the most dramatic case to date: the one from the Apollo 13 mission. In 1970, an oxygen tank in the command module exploded just three days into the mission, jeopardizing it. The three astronauts finally landed safely on April 17, 1970, about fourteen hours later than planned after using their lunar landing module.

From unknown to opportunity

So how do the astronauts facing these extensions? According to astronaut Chris Hadfield, “They train for decades to be able to spend long periods in space, which has transformed their short-duration flight into a long-duration flight”.