The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received positive news regarding their upcoming return to Earth. Recently concluded ground tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, have paved the way for planning its return trip. Boeing and NASA awaited the completion of these tests to move forward.
A recent update noted, “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 objective of the tests was to assess thruster degradation and understand why certain thrusters were inoperative during flight, as well as the potential impacts of reactivating them.
“De-selected” refers to thrusters that were rendered non-functional. Prior to and during the launch of the Starliner, helium tanks that govern the thrusters experienced leaks, which resulted in delays. At a press briefing last month, officials revealed that although the spacecraft has 70 hours of helium available, it only requires seven. While they stated earlier this month that the spacecraft could return immediately if necessary, they indicated they are not yet prepared for that scenario.
In the latest update from NASA and Boeing, it was mentioned that a return flight could potentially occur by the end of this month. However, the timeline is now less precise: “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections, and will continue to finalize flight rationale to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”