Boeing‘s Starliner capsule, after a period of uncertainty about its safety, left the International Space Station on Friday to Earth without its crew. The two NASA test pilots, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will remain at the space station until next year.
The Starliner capsule undocked 260 miles (420 kilometers) over China, with springs gently pushing it away from the orbiting laboratory.The return flight was expected to take six hours, with a nighttime landing in the New Mexico desert.
“She’s on her way home,” astronaut Suni Williams radioed after Starliner exited.
Williams and Wilmore were supposed to fly Starliner back to Earth in June, a week after launching in it. However, thruster failures and helium leaks compromised their ride to the space station.
Nasa then decided it was too risky for them to return on Starliner, which led to the fully automated capsule departing with empty seats and blue spacesuits, along with some old station equipment. SpaceX will bring the duo back in late February, extending their original eight-day mission to more than eight months.
“A minute after separating from the space station, Starliner’s thrusters could be seen firing as the white, blue-trimmed capsule slowly backed away. Nasa Mission Control called it a ‘perfect’ departure.”
Following the undocking, flight controllers planned additional test firings of the capsule’s thrusters.
Engineers believe that the more the thrusters are fired, the hotter they become, causing the protective seals to swell and obstruct the flow of propellant. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to examine any of the parts, as the section containing the thrusters will be discarded just before reentry.
Following the June 5 launch, Starliner’s propulsion system experienced a small helium leak, which was initially thought to be isolated. However, four additional leaks emerged after liftoff, and five thrusters failed. Although four of the thrusters were recovered, Nasa expressed concern about potential malfunctions that could hinder the capsule’s descent from orbit.
Over the summer, Boeing conducted extensive thruster tests both in space and on the ground, and was confident that Starliner could safely return Wilmore and Williams to Earth. However, NASA had a different opinion and decided to go with SpaceX instead.
As experienced astronauts and retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams anticipated challenges on the test flight. They have kept busy in space, assisting with repairs and experiments. The two are now full-time station crew members, joining the seven others on board.
Boeing’s first astronaut flight marks the end of a journey filled with delays and setbacks. After the space shuttles retired more than a decade ago, Nasa contracted Boeing and SpaceX for orbital taxi service. Boeing encountered numerous problems on its first uncrewed test flight in 2019, requiring a repeat mission. The 2022 do-over revealed even more flaws, with the repair bill exceeding $1 billion.
Steve Stich, Nasa’s commercial crew program manager, stated earlier this week that teams have been so focused on Starliner’s return that they haven’t had time to consider what’s next for Boeing. He emphasized that NASA remains committed to having two competing U.S. companies transporting astronauts.
The Starliner capsule undocked 260 miles (420 kilometers) over China, with springs gently pushing it away from the orbiting laboratory.The return flight was expected to take six hours, with a nighttime landing in the New Mexico desert.
“She’s on her way home,” astronaut Suni Williams radioed after Starliner exited.
Williams and Wilmore were supposed to fly Starliner back to Earth in June, a week after launching in it. However, thruster failures and helium leaks compromised their ride to the space station.
Nasa then decided it was too risky for them to return on Starliner, which led to the fully automated capsule departing with empty seats and blue spacesuits, along with some old station equipment. SpaceX will bring the duo back in late February, extending their original eight-day mission to more than eight months.
“A minute after separating from the space station, Starliner’s thrusters could be seen firing as the white, blue-trimmed capsule slowly backed away. Nasa Mission Control called it a ‘perfect’ departure.”
Following the undocking, flight controllers planned additional test firings of the capsule’s thrusters.
Engineers believe that the more the thrusters are fired, the hotter they become, causing the protective seals to swell and obstruct the flow of propellant. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to examine any of the parts, as the section containing the thrusters will be discarded just before reentry.
Following the June 5 launch, Starliner’s propulsion system experienced a small helium leak, which was initially thought to be isolated. However, four additional leaks emerged after liftoff, and five thrusters failed. Although four of the thrusters were recovered, Nasa expressed concern about potential malfunctions that could hinder the capsule’s descent from orbit.
Over the summer, Boeing conducted extensive thruster tests both in space and on the ground, and was confident that Starliner could safely return Wilmore and Williams to Earth. However, NASA had a different opinion and decided to go with SpaceX instead.
As experienced astronauts and retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams anticipated challenges on the test flight. They have kept busy in space, assisting with repairs and experiments. The two are now full-time station crew members, joining the seven others on board.
Boeing’s first astronaut flight marks the end of a journey filled with delays and setbacks. After the space shuttles retired more than a decade ago, Nasa contracted Boeing and SpaceX for orbital taxi service. Boeing encountered numerous problems on its first uncrewed test flight in 2019, requiring a repeat mission. The 2022 do-over revealed even more flaws, with the repair bill exceeding $1 billion.
Steve Stich, Nasa’s commercial crew program manager, stated earlier this week that teams have been so focused on Starliner’s return that they haven’t had time to consider what’s next for Boeing. He emphasized that NASA remains committed to having two competing U.S. companies transporting astronauts.
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