The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received promising news regarding their anticipated return to Earth. Recent ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in space since early June, has been completed. Boeing and NASA were awaiting the completion of these tests before finalizing plans for the spacecraft’s return journey.
An update provided last week stated, “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 reviews.” The purpose of these tests was to assess thruster performance and understand why certain thrusters were inactive during the flight, as well as to evaluate the effects of potentially reactivating them.
The term “de-selected” indicates that some thrusters malfunctioned. Prior to and during the Starliner launch, helium tanks that supply the thrusters experienced leaks, resulting in several delays. At a press conference last month, officials mentioned that the spacecraft has 70 hours of helium onboard when it only requires seven. While they stated earlier this month that the Starliner could return if necessary, they emphasized that they are not fully prepared for its arrival just yet.
In their latest update, NASA and Boeing indicated that a return flight could be possible by the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less certain: “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with thruster disassembly and inspections, and will proceed with finalizing flight rationale to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”