The Boeing CST-100 Starliner team has received positive news regarding the spacecraft’s return to Earth. Testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in space since early June, has been completed. Boeing and NASA had been awaiting the conclusion of these tests to begin planning the vessel’s journey home.
In an update released late last week, it was announced that the ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster was successfully completed at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. The objective of the testing was to monitor thruster degradation to better understand the malfunctioning of some thrusters during flight and assess the implications of possibly returning those thrusters to service for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
Some thrusters had “de-selected,” meaning they had stopped functioning. This issue was attributed to leaking helium tanks that controlled the thrusters, which resulted in multiple delays prior to and during the Starliner’s launch. Officials indicated at a recent press conference that the spacecraft has an excess of helium on board, with 70 hours’ worth available despite only requiring seven. While they stated earlier this month that the Starliner could return to Earth immediately if necessary, they mentioned that they are not yet ready to initiate its return.
NASA and Boeing had previously suggested a return could happen by the end of this month; however, the timeline has since become more uncertain. The latest update indicates that engineers from Boeing and NASA will proceed with disassembling and inspecting the thrusters and will work on finalizing plans for the spacecraft’s expected return to Earth. Commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams will be aboard the Starliner when it returns in the coming weeks.