Boeing Starliner’s Return to Earth Delayed Until June 26
WASHINGTON—Boeing Starliner’s return to Earth from the International Space Station with its first crew of astronauts has been postponed to June 26, as announced by a NASA official on Tuesday.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were launched aboard Starliner on June 5 and reached the ISS after a 24-hour flight. During the journey, the spacecraft faced four helium leaks and five failures of its 28 maneuvering thrusters.
Starliner’s first manned flight is a crucial final test in a long-delayed and over-budget program before NASA can certify the spacecraft for regular astronaut missions and have a second U.S. crew vehicle alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
The delay in Starliner’s return is to ensure that the team has enough time to analyze the data and be fully prepared to come back to Earth, according to Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, during a press conference.
NASA is aiming for a departure no earlier than June 26, with the possibility of further extensions at the ISS. Although Starliner is designed for future six-month missions, it can only remain docked to the ISS for a maximum of 45 days during its current mission.
The return journey to Earth is estimated to take around six hours and will target a location in the Utah desert, New Mexico, or other backup locations based on local weather conditions.
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The recent issues during the flight add to the challenges Boeing has faced with Starliner over the years, including a failed uncrewed test in 2019 due to software glitches, design problems, and management issues that prevented it from docking with the ISS. A repeat uncrewed test in 2022 successfully docked.
