The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received promising news regarding their return to Earth. Earth-based testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have prevented it from returning since early June, has recently concluded. Boeing and NASA had been awaiting the results of these tests before orchestrating plans for the spacecraft’s homecoming.
A recent update indicated that the ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has been completed, with teams now focusing on data evaluation. The primary goal of this test was to assess thruster degradation, helping teams understand why certain thrusters were rendered inoperative during flight and evaluating the implications of potentially reintegrating them into service for the Crew Flight Test.
When officials refer to “de-selected” thrusters, they mean certain thrusters that malfunctioned. Prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, the helium tanks that manage the thrusters were experiencing leaks, resulting in several delays. Officials noted last month that the spacecraft has a surplus of helium onboard—enough for 70 hours, yet it only requires seven. Although they mentioned earlier this month that the Starliner could return immediately if necessary, they also indicated they are not fully prepared for the journey.
The most recent update from NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight could potentially occur by the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will commence thruster disassembly and inspections, and will move forward with 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.”