Boeing plans to bring its empty capsule back to Earth soon, leaving behind 2 NASA astronauts.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Boeing is gearing up to bring back its troubled capsule from the International Space Station later this week, but it will be returning with empty seats.
NASA confirmed on Wednesday that everything is proceeding as planned for the Starliner capsule to detach from the space station on Friday evening. The fully automated capsule will then aim to land at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range six hours later.
The two NASA astronauts who were supposed to return on Starliner will now stay behind at the space station. They will hitch a ride back with SpaceX in February, after experiencing multiple delays following their initial launch on what was meant to be a short test flight. Technical issues such as thruster problems and helium leaks led to the decision to separate their return from that of the Starliner.
“It has been a challenging journey, but we are looking forward to Starliner’s return,” said NASA’s commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will seal off the hatches between Starliner and the space station on Thursday. They are now considered full-time crew members of the station, contributing to experiments and maintenance tasks while also focusing on physical exercise to combat the effects of extended weightlessness.
To accommodate them on SpaceX’s upcoming mission, the Dragon capsule will launch with only two astronauts instead of the usual four. Two crew members were removed from the six-month expedition last week to make room for SpaceX’s arrival in late September. Boeing needed to clear space for the new occupants.
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Boeing faced significant challenges with Starliner well before its launch on June 5 for the delayed astronaut demonstration.
The initial test flight in 2019 encountered software issues that prevented the capsule from reaching the space station, leading to a three-year delay before a second attempt. Subsequent problems emerged, resulting in further setbacks and over $1 billion in repairs.
Multiple thruster failures and system leaks added to the troubles Starliner faced after launch, prompting extensive tests by Boeing to ensure a safe return for the astronauts. However, NASA deemed it too risky, necessitating the change in plans.
Starliner will now execute a quicker departure than originally intended, utilizing springs to push away from the space station and brief thruster firings to gradually increase distance. A reduced 20-minute period of lingering near the station will be implemented to lessen strain on the capsule’s thrusters.
Further test firings of Starliner’s 28 thrusters are scheduled before the crucial descent from orbit. Engineers seek to gather as much data as possible since the thrusters will not return to Earth, as the section containing them will be discarded before reentry.
Despite the change in mission plans, the stranded astronauts—retired Navy captains—are adapting well to their extended stay on the space station, displaying dedication to the future success of human spaceflight, according to NASA officials.
Their iconic Boeing spacesuits will be brought back with the capsule, along with some aging station equipment.
A decade ago, NASA appointed Boeing and SpaceX to transport its astronauts to and from the space station following the retirement of its shuttles. SpaceX achieved this milestone in 2020 and has since conducted numerous missions for NASA and private clients.
By Marcia Dunn
