The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received positive news regarding their anticipated return to Earth. Recent ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters has been completed, a crucial step as the vessel has been in orbit since early June. Boeing and NASA were awaiting the results of these tests to begin preparations for the spacecraft’s journey home.
According to an update released late last week, “Ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico is complete, and teams are now turning their attention to data reviews.” The objective of this testing was to monitor thruster performance and understand issues that led to some thrusters being deactivated during the flight, as well as to evaluate the implications of potentially reinstating those thrusters.
The term “de-selected” refers to thrusters that malfunctioned. Issues with helium tanks that manage thruster controls caused delays before and during the Starliner’s launch. Officials indicated that, despite the spacecraft having a substantial amount of helium onboard, it could safely return at any moment, though readiness for this return has not yet been established.
In their last update, NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight might occur at the end of this month. However, the timeline has since become less certain: “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections, and move forward with finalizing flight rationale in support of readiness reviews for Starliner’s nominal return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.”