NASA has made the decision to return Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board. This move, announced on August 24, 2024, allows the agency and Boeing to continue collecting critical test data without exposing the crew to unnecessary risk.
Starliner spacecraft returns without astronauts
Wilmore and Williams, who arrived at the International Space Station(ISS) in June as part of NASA’s“Boeing Crew Flight Test,” have been working on scientific research, station maintenance and Starliner system testing. However, following the identification of problems during the spacecraft’s approach to the ISS, such as helium leaks and failures in the reaction control thrusters, however control thrusters, NASA decided to return the spacecraft autonomously.
“Spaceflight, even in its safest forms, is risky. A test spaceflight, safety should not be assumed for routine. Keeping the crew aboard the ISS and bringing home the Starliner uncrewed reflects our commitment to safety.”
Bill Nelson, NASA’s official administrator.
Astronauts Wilmore and Williams remain crewed on “Expedition 71/72” through February 2025 and will return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft as part of the Crew-9 mission. In the meantime, the Starliner will complete a controlled, autonomous re-entry and landing in early September.
Since identifying the technical problems, NASA and Boeing engineering teams have conducted extensive testing and reviews to assess the situation. Despite the improvements and data collected, NASA determined that “a higher degree of certainty” is needed before a manned return can be conducted. The decision to conduct the unmanned return will allow NASA and Boeing to gather additional information that will benefit future missions and eventual compliance with NASA certification requirements.
Once Starliner returns to Earth, NASA will evaluate all mission data to determine the next steps necessary to ensure the spacecraft is ready for regular manned flights to and from the ISS. The SpaceX Crew-9 mission, originally scheduled for four crew members, will launch no earlier than Sept. 24, and NASA will provide further details, once plans are finalized.
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Source and photo: NASA
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