The Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received encouraging news regarding its upcoming return to Earth. Recent tests conducted on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it in orbit since early June, have been successfully completed. Boeing and NASA were awaiting the outcome of these tests before proceeding with plans for the spacecraft’s homecoming.
An update provided 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 focusing on data analysis.” The primary aim of the tests was to examine thruster performance and understand the reasons behind the failure of some thrusters during the mission, as well as the potential implications of reactivating them for the successful completion of the Crew Flight Test.
“De-selected” refers to the thrusters that ceased functioning. Issues with helium tanks that control the thrusters resulted in leaks prior to and during the launch, causing multiple postponements. During a press conference last month, officials mentioned that the Starliner has 70 hours of helium available, despite only requiring seven hours for its operations. While they stated earlier this month that the spacecraft could return whenever necessary, they also clarified that they are not yet fully prepared for the return.
The most recent update from NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight could happen by the end of this month. However, the timeline has since become less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will move forward with the disassembly and inspection of the thrusters, and continue to finalize the flight rationale in preparation for readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”