The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew has received encouraging news regarding its return to Earth. Recently, ground tests of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have been stranded in space since early June, have been completed. Both Boeing and NASA were waiting for these tests to plan the spacecraft’s homecoming.
The update confirmed that testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has concluded. Teams are now focusing on analyzing the data. The purpose of the tests was to investigate why some thrusters were rendered inoperable during the flight and to assess the implications of reinstating them for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
Officials clarified that “de-selected” refers to thrusters that malfunctioned. Previously, the helium tanks that manage the thrusters were identified as leaking before and during the launch, which caused several delays. At a press conference last month, representatives indicated that the spacecraft has an ample supply of helium onboard, although only a fraction is necessary for its operations. While they mentioned the craft could return to Earth if required, they confirmed that preparations are still underway.
In the latest update, it was suggested that a possible return flight might occur at the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less defined: “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with thruster disassembly and inspections, progressing towards finalizing the flight rationale in anticipation of readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams over the next few weeks.”