I predicted this 44 days ago the first time they were experiencing problems, there is no way they would allow the astronauts to return on the Starliner. See here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40726971
Super interesting ordeal to follow. Tough decision indeed. Why not have Starliner fly back to earth autonomously, get reset and ready, then autonomously fly it back to the ISS when ready to pickup the crew and return again?
There is Crew Dragon flight on August 18 to bring 4 crew to ISS. The current Dragon is supposed to return on August 26. They could leave two ISS crew longer and bring home Starliner crew home.
Also, there is commercial flight scheduled in October on Crew Dragon. NASA could buy out two spots for returning Starliner crew to Earth.
NASA has been in a 20-year cycle of complacency. In the 1960s, it was Apollo 1. In the '80s, it was Challenger. In the 2000s, it was Columbia, and if NASA decides to bring Starliner home with the crew, they may be setting up the disaster of the 2020s.
At least Butch and Suni are getting to spend more time in space, which both of them seem to be thoroughly enjoying.
