The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew received some positive updates regarding their return to Earth. Earth-based tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it stranded in space since early June, have been completed. Boeing and NASA were waiting for these tests to finalize plans for the spacecraft’s journey back home.
A recent announcement stated, “Ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico is complete, and teams are now focusing on data reviews.” The goal of these tests was to analyze thruster performance issues that caused some to be deactivated during the flight, allowing teams to understand the implications of reactivating those thrusters for the Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to thrusters that failed to function. Prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, helium tanks used to control the thrusters were found to be leaking, which resulted in several delays. Officials noted last month that the spacecraft has a total of 70 hours’ worth of helium onboard, although only seven are necessary for its operation. They indicated that while the spacecraft could technically return to Earth immediately if required, they are not fully prepared for that scenario at the moment.
The previous update from NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight might happen at the end of this month. However, the timeline is now less defined: “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with thruster disassembly and inspections, moving forward with finalizing the flight rationale for readiness reviews related to Starliner’s upcoming return to Earth, featuring commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the following weeks.”