The crew aboard the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received positive news regarding their return to Earth. Recent tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters, which have kept it in orbit since early June, have been successfully completed. Boeing and NASA had postponed return trip plans until these critical tests were finalized.
An announcement last week indicated that the ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico was finished, and teams are now focusing on reviewing the data collected. The primary goal of these tests was to assess the deterioration of some thrusters, which had been inoperative during flight, as well as to evaluate the potential consequences of reintroducing these thrusters into service for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to the thrusters that ceased functioning. Prior to and during the launch of the Starliner, helium tanks that manage the thruster operations experienced leaks, contributing to several delays. Officials noted in a press conference last month that the spacecraft contains 70 hours’ worth of helium, far exceeding the seven hours required for its current mission. Although they indicated earlier this month that the craft could return at any moment, they emphasized that preparations for that return were still ongoing.
In a latest update, NASA and Boeing mentioned that a return flight could be possible by the end of this month, although the timeline has since become less specific. The teams will now proceed with disassembling and inspecting the thrusters while finalizing the required flight rationale to ensure the Starliner, commanded by Butch Wilmore with pilot Suni Williams, is ready for its imminent journey back to Earth in the coming weeks.