NASA has updated an FAQ page on its website with the latest information on the state of Boeing Space’s beleaguered Starliner mission.
With so much speculation surrounding the state of the spacecraft, the page offers a definitive guide on where the mission is at right now.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in early June in the vehicle’s first crewed flight. But as it approached the ISS, some of the spacecraft’s thrusters failed to work as expected, and a number of leaks in the Starliner’s helium system were also observed.
Despite the difficulties, the Starliner successfully docked with the ISS. But there are concerns that the thruster issues could present challenges for the Starliner on its return journey as they play a key role in accurately guiding the vehicle toward its reentry point into Earth’s atmosphere.
Engineering teams at NASA and Boeing are still carrying out thruster tests and in-depth data reviews to try to get a clearer understanding of the state of the Starliner.
The mission was only supposed to last about 10 days, but the Starliner remains docked at the ISS. The mission’s two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, are now living and working aboard the ISS as engineers try to determine if the Starliner is safe to bring the pair home, or whether they will have to wait until February next year for a ride back on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The space agency said it’s now planning to conduct two reviews — a Program Control Board and an Agency Flight Readiness Review — before making a final decision on how to safely return Williams and Wilmore from the orbital outpost. NASA is expected to announce a plan by the end of August.
The comprehensive FAQ page offers information on subjects such as the mission and the delay, the two NASA astronauts that rode on the Starliner, and the return options.
On the matter of whether Williams and Wilmore are “stuck” on the ISS, as has been reported by some news outlets, NASA says: “No, Butch and Suni are safe aboard the space station working alongside the Expedition 71 crew.”
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