The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received positive news regarding its return to Earth. The recent completion of ground testing on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, paves the way for planning its homeward journey.
Boeing and NASA had been awaiting the results of these tests before determining the timeline for the spacecraft’s return. An update indicated, “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 reviewing the data.” The objective of the testing was to better understand the degradation of the thrusters and investigate why some were not functioning during flight, as well as the potential implications of reactivating them for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to the thrusters that ceased operation. Prior to and during the Starliner launch, the tanks containing helium that power the thrusters experienced leaks, resulting in several delays. Officials noted that the spacecraft has 70 hours of helium on board while only requiring seven for operations. Although it was stated earlier this month that the craft could return immediately if necessary, officials confirmed they are not entirely prepared for that option.
In the latest update, NASA and Boeing mentioned that a return flight could take place at the end of this month. However, the timeline has since become less definite: “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections and finalize flight rationale for readiness reviews in support of Starliner’s scheduled return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”