The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received encouraging news regarding their return to Earth. Recent tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, have been completed. Boeing and NASA had delayed planning the return until these tests were finished.
An announcement confirmed that the testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico has concluded, and teams are now reviewing the data. The goal of these tests was to assess thruster degradation in order to understand the reasons behind the in-flight failure of some thrusters and to evaluate the potential impacts of reactivating them for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
Some thrusters were “de-selected” due to malfunction, and prior to the launch, there were issues with helium tanks that control the thrusters, resulting in several delays. Despite currently having 70 hours of helium on board—much more than the seven hours required for the mission—officials indicated that while the spacecraft could return at any moment if necessary, they believe more preparation is needed before doing so.
Previously, NASA and Boeing hinted that a return flight might occur by the end of this month. However, the timeline now appears less definite. The next steps include disassembling and inspecting the thrusters, as well as finalizing preparations for the Starliner’s planned return to Earth, with astronaut commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams set to be aboard.