The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received encouraging news regarding their return to Earth. Recent ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters has been completed, which has been crucial since the vehicle has been in space since early June. Boeing and NASA were awaiting the conclusion of these tests to start making plans for the spacecraft’s return.
A recent update noted, “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 the test was to evaluate thruster degradation to gain insights into why certain thrusters malfunctioned during flight and to assess the implications of potentially reintegrating these thrusters for the Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to the thrusters that stopped functioning. There were issues with helium tanks that control the thrusters leaking both prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, resulting in multiple delays. Officials mentioned last month that the spacecraft possesses 70 hours of helium onboard, even though only seven hours are necessary. They indicated the Starliner could return to Earth immediately if required but also stated they are not fully prepared for that event.
In their last update, NASA and Boeing indicated that a return flight could be feasible at the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with thruster disassembly and inspections, while also finalizing the flight rationale in support of readiness reviews for Starliner’s scheduled return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”