The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received positive news regarding their return to Earth. Recent ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it in orbit since early June, has now concluded. Boeing and NASA were awaiting the completion of these tests to begin organizing the spacecraft’s return journey.
An update from last week announced that the testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has finished, with teams now focusing on reviewing the collected data. The main goal of the testing was to examine thruster degradation, which would provide insight into why some thrusters malfunctioned during flight and the potential effects of reactivating those thrusters on the overall Crew Flight Test.
Officials indicated that “de-selected” refers to thrusters that ceased functioning. Prior to and during the launch, there were leaks in the helium tanks that control the thrusters, resulting in several delays. At a recent press conference, officials confirmed that although the spacecraft carries 70 hours’ worth of helium, it only requires seven for its operations. They noted that while the Starliner could theoretically return to Earth immediately, they are not yet fully prepared for that scenario.
Previously, NASA and Boeing had mentioned that a return flight might occur at the end of this month; however, the timeline is now less certain. The latest statement indicated that engineers from Boeing and NASA would proceed with disassembling and inspecting the thrusters, while also working on finalizing the flight readiness reviews in preparation for Starliner’s expected return to Earth, featuring commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.