The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received encouraging news about their return to Earth. Ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in space since early June, has recently concluded. Boeing and NASA were waiting for these tests to initiate planning for the spacecraft’s homecoming.
An update last week confirmed that the ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has been completed, and teams are now focusing on reviewing the collected data. The aim of the test was to assess thruster degradation to better understand why some thrusters malfunctioned during flight, as well as to evaluate the implications of reactivating those thrusters for the Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to some thrusters that failed to operate properly. Prior to and during the launch of Starliner, helium tanks used to control the thrusters experienced leaks, leading to several delays. Officials noted at a recent press conference that the spacecraft has enough helium for 70 hours of operation, although it only requires seven. While they previously indicated the craft could return immediately if necessary, they also mentioned that they are not fully prepared for that eventuality.
The latest communication from NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight could occur by the end of this month. However, the timeframe is now more uncertain: “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with thruster disassembly and inspections and will finalize flight plans to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s expected return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”