The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received promising news regarding their journey back 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 had been awaiting these test results to begin planning for the spacecraft’s return.
An update issued last week confirmed, “Ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico is complete, and teams are now focusing on data analysis.” The purpose of the tests was to assess thruster performance, particularly to understand the failure of some thrusters during the flight, and to evaluate the implications of potentially returning them to operation.
Officials noted that some thrusters had been “de-selected,” indicating they were non-functional. Prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, issues arose with helium tanks that control the thrusters, resulting in several delays. Despite having 70 hours of helium onboard—well above the seven hours needed—officials mentioned last month that while the spacecraft could theoretically return now, they are not yet prepared for that contingency.
NASA and Boeing previously suggested that a return flight might occur at the end of this month; however, the timeline has since become less precise. The latest update states, “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with thruster disassembly and inspections, and proceed with finalizing 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.”