The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received promising news regarding its return to Earth. Recent ground tests of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it in orbit since early June, have been completed. Boeing and NASA awaited these tests to start planning the vessel’s homecoming.
An update from last week indicated, “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 focused on data analysis.” The purpose of the tests was to investigate thruster degradation and understand the reasons behind the malfunction of certain thrusters during the flight, as well as any implications for reactivating those thrusters for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
When officials referred to “de-selected” thrusters, it meant that some ceased functioning. Issues were linked to leaking helium tanks that manage the thrusters prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, necessitating several delays. During a press briefing last month, officials noted that the spacecraft carries 70 hours’ worth of helium onboard, while only seven hours are needed for its operation. Although they stated earlier this month that the craft could return immediately if required, they also mentioned that it is not fully prepared for a return just yet.
In the latest update, NASA and Boeing indicated that a return flight might occur by the end of this month. However, the timeline is now less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will conduct thruster disassembly and inspections, proceeding with the finalization of flight rationale in preparation for readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”