Where were Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams located while the Starliner *Calypso* was returning to Earth?
Answer
Aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remained aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a duration significantly longer than originally scheduled for the Crew Flight Test (CFT). This extended stay was facilitated because the ISS served as a temporary safe harbor for the crew while engineers conducted the necessary analysis on the return vehicle, *Calypso*. The decision effectively treated the capsule as an uncrewed test article for its final leg, allowing it to demonstrate autonomous return capabilities without placing the crew at risk during potential in-flight failures during reentry or landing.
Related Questions
What was the official designation for the Starliner capsule that returned uncrewed for the Crew Flight Test?Why did NASA decide to return the Starliner without astronauts Wilmore and Williams aboard?Which propulsion system component showed issues while the Starliner was attached to the ISS?Where were Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams located while the Starliner *Calypso* was returning to Earth?What critical design capability did the uncrewed Starliner return successfully demonstrate?What was the main objective for certifying the Boeing Starliner via the Crew Flight Test (CFT)?What two distinct performance tests did the CFT sequence separate by returning *Calypso* uncrewed?How did the extended ISS stay for Wilmore and Williams contrast with standard capsule return procedures?What did the necessity of returning the Starliner empty suggest about its readiness for nominal crewed departure?What role did the ISS play when the Starliner vehicle required extended analysis time?