The Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received positive news regarding its return to Earth. The successful completion of ground testing on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it in orbit since early June, has paved the way for Boeing and NASA to begin planning its homecoming.
An update revealed that testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has concluded, and teams are now focused on analyzing the data. The primary goal of the tests was to assess thruster performance and determine the reasons behind the in-flight failure of some thrusters, as well as to evaluate the potential implications of reactivating them for the Crew Flight Test.
Officials indicated that some thrusters were marked as “de-selected,” meaning they ceased functioning. Prior to and during the Starliner launch, there were issues with helium tanks that control the thrusters, which resulted in several delays. Despite having 70 hours of helium on board—significantly more than the seven hours required—officials noted that the spacecraft could theoretically return now if necessary, although they are not fully prepared for that scenario.
Previously, NASA and Boeing indicated that a return flight could occur at the end of this month, but the timeline has now become less certain. They stated, “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections and continue finalizing the flight rationale to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”