The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received promising news regarding their return to Earth. Testing on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, has been completed. Boeing and NASA had been waiting for these tests to conclude before planning the vehicle’s homecoming.
An update stated that ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has been finished, and teams are now reviewing the data. The testing aimed to assess thruster performance and understand why some thrusters were inactive during flight, as well as the implications of potentially reactivating them for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to some thrusters that ceased operation. Prior to and during the Starliner launch, helium tanks, which control the thrusters, experienced leaks, resulting in multiple delays. Officials indicated that the spacecraft is equipped with 70 hours of helium, though it only requires seven hours for safe operations. While NASA previously stated the spacecraft could return immediately, they clarified that they are not yet ready for that scenario.
In the most recent update, NASA and Boeing indicated that a return flight could occur by the end of this month, although the timeline has become less specific. Engineers from Boeing and NASA will now begin disassembling and inspecting the thrusters, moving forward with the final preparations for readiness reviews for Starliner’s return to Earth, set to include commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.