Upon returning to Earth, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams detailed their harrowing experience aboard the ISS, stemming from a malfunctioning Boeing Starliner. Originally planned as an eight-day mission, technical issues forced them into a prolonged stay of 286 days. In a press interview, they recounted a near-catastrophic moment when they lost control of their thrusters, leaving them unsure whether they could safely return to Earth or approach the ISS. This experience underscored the dangers of space travel and the complexities of orbital mechanics during crises.
I don't know that we can come back to Earth at that point. I don't know if we can. And matter of fact, I'm thinking we probably can't.
We don't know exactly what is happening, why the thrusters are falling off, and what the solution would be.
So there we are, loss of 6DOF control, four aft thrusters down, and I'm visualizing orbital mechanics.
I'm doing all of this in my mind. I don't know what control I have.
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