The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received positive news regarding its return to Earth. Recently completed ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters is a crucial step that enables Boeing and NASA to start planning the vessel’s homeward journey after being in space since early June.
An announcement made late last week confirmed that the testing of the Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has concluded, with teams now reviewing the data gathered. The main goal of these tests was to examine thruster performance degradation, which will help understand why certain thrusters malfunctioned during the flight and assess the potential implications of reinstating those thrusters for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
Officials explained that “de-selected” refers to those thrusters that ceased functioning. Prior to and during the Starliner launch, the helium tanks that control the thrusters were found to be leaking, causing several delays. At a press conference last month, it was noted that the spacecraft has enough helium onboard for 70 hours, far exceeding its seven-hour requirement. While it was indicated earlier this month that the spacecraft could return immediately if needed, officials have clarified that they are not fully prepared for that scenario just yet.
In their most recent update, NASA and Boeing stated that a return flight could occur by the end of this month. However, as of now, the timeframe for the return remains uncertain: “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections, and will advance towards finalizing flight rationale in preparation for readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”