The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew is receiving encouraging news about their eventual return to Earth. Recent ground tests of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, have been successfully completed. Boeing and NASA were awaiting these results to start planning the spacecraft’s journey back.
An update released last week confirmed, “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 tests aimed to analyze thruster degradation to understand why certain thrusters were non-operational during the flight and assess any potential impacts on the upcoming return.
The term “de-selected” refers to the thrusters that malfunctioned. Prior to and during the launch, the helium tanks controlling the thrusters experienced leaks, causing several launch delays. At a recent press conference, officials noted that the Starliner has enough helium onboard for 70 hours, much more than the seven hours it would actually require. While they stated that the spacecraft could return immediately if necessary, they also indicated that they aren’t fully prepared for that eventuality yet.
Previously, NASA and Boeing mentioned that a return flight could happen by the end of this month. However, the timeline is now less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will move forward with thruster disassembly and inspections and continue finalizing 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.”