The crew of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received encouraging news regarding its return to Earth. The recent completion of ground tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, marks a significant step forward. Boeing and NASA had been awaiting these test results before finalizing plans for the spacecraft’s journey home.
An update shared last week stated, “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 reviewing the data.” The goal of these tests was to inspect the degradation of the thrusters to understand why certain thrusters were inoperative during the mission and to assess the potential impact of reactivating them on the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to thrusters that ceased functioning. Prior to and during the Starliner launch, there were leaks in the helium tanks that manage the thrusters, resulting in multiple launch delays. Officials noted last month that the spacecraft has 70 hours’ worth of helium onboard, which is significantly more than the seven hours it requires. Although they indicated earlier this month that the Starliner could make an immediate return if necessary, they also emphasized that they are not yet fully prepared for that eventuality.
In their latest update, NASA and Boeing hinted that a possible return flight could occur at the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less precise, with the teams stating, “Boeing and NASA engineers will proceed with the disassembly and inspection of the thrusters and will continue to finalize flight rationale to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s planned return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”