The Boeing CST-100 Starliner team has received promising news regarding the spacecraft’s impending return to Earth. Recently, successful ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters was completed, a key step that had delayed its homecoming since early June. Boeing and NASA were awaiting these tests to start planning the logistics for the return trip.
Updates indicated that the ground testing of the Starliner’s Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has concluded, allowing teams to focus on analyzing the data. The objective of these tests was to better understand the degradation of the thrusters and investigate the reasons why some were “de-selected” during the flight.
“De-selected” refers to the situation where certain thrusters failed to perform, attributed to issues such as helium tank leaks occurring both prior to and during the launch. Although the spacecraft carries approximately 70 hours of helium – significantly more than the necessary seven hours – officials confirmed that while Starliner could technically return at any moment, they are not quite ready for that.
While the previous timeline suggested a potential return flight by the end of this month, the current outlook has broadened. Boeing and NASA engineers are now working on disassembling and inspecting the thrusters and will finalize flight justifications as they prepare for the Starliner’s anticipated return to Earth with Commander Butch Wilmore and Pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.
This development reflects significant progress in resolving the technical issues faced by the Starliner, shining a hopeful light on the successful return of the spacecraft and its crew. With diligent testing and preparations underway, there is optimism surrounding the upcoming readiness reviews, showcasing the resilience of the engineering teams involved.