The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew received promising news regarding their return home as Earthbound thruster testing was recently completed. The spacecraft has been in space since early June, and Boeing and NASA were awaiting the outcomes of these tests to formulate plans for its return journey.
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According to a recent update, “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 testing aimed to assess the degradation of certain thrusters, which had been deselected during the flight, to better understand the potential impacts of reinstating these thrusters for the Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” relates to thrusters that ceased functioning. Prior to and during the launch, helium tanks that control the thrusters experienced leaks, contributing to several delays. Despite having 70 hours’ worth of helium aboard, far more than the seven hours required, officials indicated last month that while the Starliner could technically return immediately if necessary, they were not fully prepared for it.
In the latest update, NASA and Boeing suggested that the return flight might occur at the end of this month. However, the timeline has since become less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections, and continue finalizing flight rationale to prepare for readiness reviews for Starliner’s anticipated return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”