The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew received promising news regarding their return to Earth. The recent completion of ground testing for the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it in orbit since early June, allows Boeing and NASA to begin planning for its homecoming.
An update provided last week 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 turning their attention to data reviews.” The primary goal of these tests was to identify thruster degradation, to understand why certain thrusters were not operational during the flight, and to assess the implications of potentially reinstating those thrusters for the Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to thrusters that malfunctioned during the mission. Prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, there were issues with leaking helium tanks that control the thrusters, which resulted in several delays. Officials indicated last month that the spacecraft has 70 hours’ worth of helium on board, even though it only requires seven hours. While they previously noted that the Starliner could return to Earth immediately if necessary, they also stated they were not fully prepared for that eventuality.
The latest information suggested that a return flight might occur by the end of this month; however, the timeline is now less specific. “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections, and continue with finalizing flight rationale to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s eventual return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”