logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
30m 59s

Stuck in space

The Observer
About this episode

In June 2024, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore went into space. It was expected to last just over a week. Instead, by the time they'll return, it'll have been more than eight months.


This is the story of how two great American institutions - Boeing and NASA - failed them.


To find out more about Tortoise:


Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists


Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content


Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
China’s shadow war: The dissidents
Alexi goes in search of the “long arm” of the Chinese state following a series of attacks and bounties on British soil. He uncovers a coordinated campaign of fear that has left dissidents feeling unsafe in the UK – and asks what British authorities are doing to protect them. This ... Show More
38m 11s
Mar 26
Why do mothers abandon babies?
Every year babies are abandoned by their parents. Following a long reporting project exploring the story of one foundling on a search for her biological parents, Alexi Mostrous asks, 'why do mothers abandon babies?'. To try and make sense of these complicated, often hidden storie ... Show More
22 m
Mar 24
Foundling
Foundling is a six-part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. This is episode 1 - On the vergeJournalist Lucy Greenwell goes in search of Jess following rumours and unanswered questions about where she was born and who gave birth to her. To listen to the re ... Show More
41m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
Challenger Disaster | Acceptable Risk | 2
<p>As NASA struggles to keep its ambitious launch schedule on track, engineers at contractor Morton Thiokol raise concerns about a key component of the space shuttle’s rocket boosters: O-Rings, which are designed to prevent fuel leaks. Amid this tension, the Teacher in Space prog ... Show More
36m 37s
Jan 2024
Ep 758: Jude Bellingham: England’s golden boy
<p>The young midfielder has had a record-breaking start to his career at Real Madrid. Could he help the England men’s team end their long wait for a major trophy?</p><br><p>To find out more about Tortoise:</p><br><p><a href="https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/tortoise/id1441428990" re ... Show More
6m 2s
Oct 2024
Horrible human being | Elon's Spies Ep2
When Martin Tripp worked at Tesla, he took the advice of his boss Elon Musk - if you discover a problem, tell me about it. But when Martin shares his concerns, his world begins to spiral out of control. You can find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listen ... Show More
37m 16s
Aug 2024
One Thing: Two Astronauts. One Space Station. No End in Sight.
NASA insists they aren’t stranded. But eight weeks after their original return date, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are still on board the International Space Station. In this episode, we explain why Boeing’s Starliner – and private space travel writ large - is under ... Show More
19m 39s
Dec 2024
Challenger Disaster | Bigger, Faster, Cheaper | 1
<p>In January 1986, the Challenger Space Shuttle was poised to make history, carrying seven astronauts, including Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher and civilian selected for space travel. The launch was part of a decade-long effort by NASA to make flights cheaper and more freq ... Show More
37m 14s
Mar 2025
Why were NASA astronauts ‘stuck’ in space?
Imagine going on a work or school trip for eight days, but ending up away from home for nine months. Now, imagine that journey was to space. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore’s spacecraft launched in June last year from Cape Canaveral in Florida. They were taking pa ... Show More
13m 47s
Aug 2024
Lost in Space
Imagine taking a once in a lifetime trip to outer space only to find out you have no idea when you'll be heading home. Sounds pretty crazy, but it's happening right now. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell joins Amy & T.J. to break down what's going on with the group of astronauts w ... Show More
36m 33s
Aug 2024
A sticky situation
The US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are currently stranded on the ISS. They arrived on the Boeing Starliner, which was meant to bring them home after eight days. Unfortunately, it has run into tech issues, meaning that the astronauts may be stuck up there for up to ... Show More
49m 30s
Nov 2024
The world’s loneliest penguin
<p>An emperor penguin has turned up on a surfers beach in southwestern Australia, more than 2000 miles away from its natural habitat in the Antarctic. How did it end up so far off course?&nbsp;</p><br><p>Writer and producer: Claudia Williams</p><p>Episode photography: Jon Jones</ ... Show More
8 m
Jan 2025
Challenger Disaster | Revisiting the Tragedy | 5
<p>Like most people who were alive in 1986, filmmaker Steven Leckart remembers the Challenger disaster. He was a kid in elementary school at the time. But as an adult, Leckart set out to explore the aftermath of what happened through interviews with astronauts’ family members, en ... Show More
36m 41s