Will SpaceX bring back the stuck Starliner astronauts?

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Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test astronauts were originally supposed to stay just eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Amazingly, they could now be stuck on the orbital outpost until 2025. SpaceX could come to the rescue, but they wouldn’t be able to do so until February next year.

Cloud seeding is also in the news again, as China has recently announced a new trial using its long-endurance strike and reconnaissance drone, Twin-tailed Scorpion A, to conduct a trial with the rain-making technology. Let’s find out more!

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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING SPOTLIGHT

SpaceX could rescue Starliner astronauts

Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission was originally supposed to last eight days. The astronauts who flew to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the spacecraft could now be stuck there until 2025.

What’s more, NASA might ask SpaceX to step in and take the crew, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, home.

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule carrying the two astronauts launched on June 5 and arrived at the ISS the following day. Since then, their return has been delayed due to propulsion system issues, thruster failures, and helium leaks.

However, NASA has now also stated that Starliner doesn’t have the capability to perform an automated undocking. A major software update would be required to make this possible, and this could take months.

The more likely outcome is that SpaceX will step in and bring the two astronauts home. This is partly because, according to a recent Ars Technica report, there is “internal disagreement” about the safety of Starliner’s return. 

NASA is considering launching the SpaceX Crew-9 mission with two rather than four astronauts. That would allow Wilmore and Williams to return home aboard the CrewDragon capsule.  However, even the SpaceX option would see the astronauts having to stay aboard the ISS until February next year.

That’s quite an extension over the initial eight days planned for Boeing’s Starliner CFT mission.

AERO BULLETIN

What’s the deal with cloud seeding?

This week, reports emerged that China is using a long-endurance strike and reconnaissance drone, the country’s Twin-tailed Scorpion A, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region as part of a cloud-seeding trial.

Cloud seeding is a process that uses chemicals such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, or dry ice, to artificially cause rain clouds to form or grow over a region. Here are a few key facts on the controversial practice.

How many countries use cloud seeding?

According to the World Meteorological Organization, more than 50 countries have cloud seeding programs. These include the US, Canada, Russia, China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and some countries in the EU. 

China has used cloud seeding to control the weather during political celebrations and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The UAE has used the method since the 1990s.

Did cloud seeding cause the recent Dubai floods?

In April this year, record rainfall caused floods in Dubai, the UAE’s biggest city. Many quickly speculated online that these floods were caused by cloud seeding. However, officials quickly denied this.

Instead, they said the floods were likely caused by climate change, which resulted in “extraordinarily” warm water in the seas around Dubai. This increases evaporation rates, leading to heavy downfalls like the one seen over Dubai in April.

Is cloud seeding bad for the environment?

So far, experts haven’t found that cloud seeding has a harmful impact on the environment. However, they also haven’t shown the reverse is true. The World Meteorological recently warned that there is a lack of knowledge concerning the technology’s impacts.

Some of the chemicals used for cloud seeding are toxic, and they could impact environments, people, and wildlife on the ground as the method is increasingly used to counter the effects of climate change.