The Boeing CST-100 Starliner is showing signs of potential return to Earth after completing critical ground testing of its thrusters. The spacecraft has been in space since early June, and Boeing and NASA were awaiting the completion of these tests before planning its return journey.
An update from last week indicated that the ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has concluded, and teams are now focusing on reviewing the collected data. The primary goal of this testing was to assess why some thrusters were not functioning properly during flight and to evaluate the implications of possibly reactivating them for the spacecraft’s upcoming return.
Officials noted that “de-selected” refers to thrusters that ceased operation. Prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, helium tanks that control these thrusters experienced leaks, which contributed to previous delays. During a press conference last month, it was confirmed that the Starliner has 70 hours’ worth of helium on board, although only seven hours are required for its operations. While it was stated earlier this month that the spacecraft could be brought back immediately if necessary, officials emphasized that they are not fully ready for that to happen just yet.
As of the latest update, both NASA and Boeing suggested a return flight could be scheduled for the end of this month. However, the timeline has since become less certain: “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with the disassembly and inspection of the thrusters and will proceed with finalizing the flight rationale in preparation for readiness reviews for the Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”