MIT professor reacts to ‘scary and rare’ situation where local astronaut stuck in space

NEEDHAM, Mass. — “It is absolutely about safety,” said MIT Aerospace and Engineering Professor Olivier De Weck.

It’s an unprecedented moment for the aeronautics community as two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Needham native Suni Williams, are stuck on the International Space Station amid safety concerns in the Boeing Starliner capsule they flew up in.

“We’re not exactly sure what the best path forward is right now,” De Wick said.

The Boeing Starliner capsule experienced thrust failures and now a mission only meant to last 8 days has lasted weeks. NASA officials on Wednesday said a return by another spacecraft could keep Wilmore and Williams in space until February 2025.

“The question is will it reenter the earth without any humans autonomously or will Butch and Suni be in it when it returns?” said De Wick.

While Boeing and NASA work out a plan to get them home, all the Needham native can do is wait.

“They know this is a risky business, they follow procedures.” De Wick said. “What’s probably the worst for them is the uncertainty of how and when you will go down.”

De Wick works closely with the astronaut community that includes Williams, a graduate of Needham High School, the Naval Academy, and the Florida Institute of Technology. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998 and has been a part of two prior missions.

As dire as the situation may seem to us, De Wick assured us these situations are what the two train for.

“They’re being put to good work, they’re helping with experiments, they’re helping with the station, they’re in contact with their families, because there is fairly good internet connection on ISS,” he said.

But the question remains unclear: Will the two come home in the Starliner or will they have to wait for a second spacecraft months away to return to Earth?

“If the probability of failure is anywhere between 1 in 100 maybe even 1 in 1000 I don’t think they take that chance,” De Wick said. “Closer to 1 in a million, 1 in a 100,000 1 in 10,000 that might be a risk they’re willing to take.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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