NASA is expected to decide Saturday whether two astronauts who arrived at the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner should return on that craft — or brace for a longer wait to fly home with rival SpaceX.
The latter solution would not only create a fresh public relations headache for Boeing, but possibly result in astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams spending a total of eight months in orbit, not the eight days as originally planned.
A decision-making committee, with NASA chief Bill Nelson sitting in, will meet Saturday to weigh the tough issue.
The US space agency has tentatively scheduled a news conference for 1:00 pm (1700 GMT), presumably to announce its verdict.
After years of Starliner development delays, the spacecraft finally lifted off in early June carrying Wilmore and Williams, both veteran astronauts, to the ISS.
The capsule was originally set to bring them to Earth after eight …