The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner received some encouraging news regarding their eventual return to Earth. Recent tests conducted on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it in orbit since early June, have concluded successfully. Boeing and NASA were awaiting the completion of these tests before finalizing plans for the spacecraft’s homecoming.
An update released late last week revealed, “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 goal of the tests was to assess thruster performance degradation to better understand why certain thrusters were rendered inactive during the flight and to evaluate the implications of potentially bringing those thrusters back online for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.”
When officials mentioned “de-selected” thrusters, they referred to those that malfunctioned. The helium tanks that control the thrusters had experienced leaks prior to and during the Starliner launch, contributing to several delays. Officials noted last month that the spacecraft is equipped with 70 hours’ worth of helium, even though it only requires seven. While they indicated earlier this month that the craft could return immediately if necessary, they also mentioned that they were not entirely prepared for that scenario.
The latest update from NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight might be feasible by the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less defined: “Boeing and NASA engineers will conduct thruster disassembly and inspections and will work towards finalizing flight plans to ensure readiness for Starliner’s expected return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”