SpaceX's Crew-2 Mission Return to Earth Further Delayed: When are They Going Back Home?

SpaceX's engineering problem in their Dragon toilets has affected the return of the Crew-2 mission to Earth as even their replacement is still awaiting their launch.

The four astronauts of the Crew-2 mission, namely NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in April for a six-month mission and is scheduled to return aboard their SpaceX Dragon capsule on November 7 depending on the weather.

"We don't know exactly when we're going to come back home," Pesquet said during an interview on Friday. "But we can say for sure that sooner rather for rather than later."

Dragon Capsule Toilet Problem Not a Major Concern

After the toilet leak in SpaceX's Dragon capsule that ferried the first all-civilian crew into space, the company has since then fixed the problem that originated in the capsule's detached toilet that resulted in the spillage in the floorboards.

However, the issue remains on the other Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station. The capsule is scheduled to bring the Crew-2 mission astronauts back to Earth.

During the interview, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur said that they are not allowed to use the toilet on the Dragon capsule due to toilet problems. As Science Times previously reported, astronauts will use their undergarments for waste management, which is something that is usually used during spaceflight.

McArthur said that this problem is not a major concern as they are prepared to manage that during their flight back to Earth, news outlet KFI reported. She noted that this is just a little challenge that they will encounter and manage during their mission, so they are not too worried about it as they have a good plan for it.

Crew-3 Mission Has Yet to Get Off the Ground

Space.com reported that the uncertainty on when the astronauts of the Crew-2 mission lies in the fact that their replacements have yet to get off the ground. They are supposed to be replaced by astronauts of the Crew-3 mission composed of NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, and ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer.

The Crew-3 mission was supposed to launch on October 31 to the space station but their flight was delayed because of poor weather conditions along with some issues on the flight path of the rocket, and a minor medical issue on one of the crewmembers. The space agency is looking at next week to launch the Crew-3 mission when the weather permits it.

That means NASA would need to bring home crewmembers of the Crew-2 mission and conduct a virtual handoff of the reigns to the ISS. Kimbrough said that it is not at all a big deal, but they would usually give the next crewmembers some housekeeping tips and tricks during the handover.

A lot of this handover time usually involves showing little things in the living space that are not part of their training, as some aspects in eating, going to the bathroom, and sleeping. Traditionally, these tips are passed from the previous crew to the next crew during the handover.

But they have full confidence in NASA astronaut ark Vande Hei to get the next crew acquainted with the space station. Vande Hei's mission was extended to almost a year at the ISS until March 2022, creating a new spaceflight record.

Check out more news and information on SpaceX in Science Times.