NASA postpones Starliner return again due to technical issues
The return of two astronauts on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station has been postponed again due to technical issues.
A new NASA blog post has revealed Barry…
June 23, 2024
The return of two astronauts on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station has been postponed again due to technical issues.
A new NASA blog post has revealed Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Suni Williams had been scheduled to return on Wednesday, 26 June, after a two-week delay following faults on the Starliner.
However, further issues with ‘small helium system leaks and thrusters performance’ have led to further delay on the pair’s planned return but allows for a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to review propulsion system data.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich said: “We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process.
“We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking.
“Additionally, given the duration of the mission, it is appropriate for us to complete an agency-level review, similar to what was done ahead of the NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return after two months on orbit, to document the agency’s formal acceptance on proceeding as planned.”
Mission managers are evaluating future return opportunities following the station’s two planned spacewalks on Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, July 2.
Stich said: “Starliner is performing well in orbit while docked to the space station.
“We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.”
Wilmore and Williams remain integrated with the Expedition 71 crew, assisting with station operations as needed and completing add-on in-flight objectives for NASA certification of Starliner.
