NASA and Boeing Delay Starliner’s Return to Earth for Further Analysis

NASA and Boeing have announced that the return of the Starliner spacecraft and its first astronaut crew from the International Space Station (ISS) is now expected on June 18. This delay allows mission analysts to address issues that could impact the return.

Adjusted Return Schedule

Originally, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner was scheduled to undock on Friday and return to Earth after launching from Florida with two NASA astronauts on June 5. This mission is crucial for certifying Starliner for regular flights by the U.S. space agency.

Factors Affecting the Return Date

NASA officials in Houston are coordinating several factors when scheduling Starliner’s return. These include fixing faulty components on the spacecraft, weather conditions, and ISS scheduling, such as spacewalks by other astronauts. Further changes to the return date might be announced as the mission progresses.

As of Tuesday, the targeted undocking date is June 18. The spacecraft is expected to land approximately six hours later in predetermined locations like the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico or Willcox Playa in Arizona, depending on weather conditions.

Technical Issues

Dina Contella, NASA’s deputy program manager for the ISS, revealed that a “sticky” oxidizer valve was detected on Starliner while it remained docked. Additionally, a NASA blog reported a new helium leak in Starliner’s propulsion system, adding to four leaks identified during its journey to the ISS.

During the flight to the ISS, five of Starliner’s 28 manoeuvring thrusters failed. However, NASA and Boeing managed to restore functionality to four of them before docking with the space station.

Mission Duration

NASA has stated that Starliner can remain docked to the ISS for a maximum of 45 days.