The Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew received positive news regarding its potential return to Earth. Recent ground tests of the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have left it stranded in space since early June, have been completed. Boeing and NASA had been awaiting the results of these tests before finalizing plans for the spacecraft’s return.
A recent update indicated, “Ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico is complete, and teams are now focusing on data reviews.” The tests aimed to examine thruster degradation to enhance understanding of issues that led to the in-flight deactivation of certain thrusters and assess the possible impacts of reactivating them.
The term “de-selected” refers to thrusters that malfunctioned. The helium tanks that control the thrusters experienced leaks before and during the launch, causing several delays. During a press conference last month, officials noted that the craft hosts 70 hours’ worth of helium, although only 7 hours are necessary for its operation. While they previously stated that the spacecraft could return immediately if required, they emphasized that they are not fully prepared for that.
In their latest update, NASA and Boeing suggested that a return flight could occur by the end of this month. However, the timeline is now less specific: “Boeing and NASA engineers will continue with thruster disassembly and inspections and work on finalizing flight rationale to support readiness reviews for Starliner’s scheduled return to Earth with commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the upcoming weeks.”