The crew aboard the Boeing CST-100 Starliner has received optimistic news regarding their return to Earth. Recent ground testing of the spacecraft’s thrusters has been completed, allowing Boeing and NASA to begin planning for the vessel’s homeward journey after it has remained in space since early June.
A statement released last week confirmed that the testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico was successful, and teams are now focused on analyzing the data gathered during the tests. The purpose of these tests was to evaluate thruster performance degradation to better understand why some thrusters were inoperative during flight and assess the implications of reactivating those thrusters for the upcoming Crew Flight Test.
The term “de-selected” refers to the thrusters that ceased functioning. Prior to and during the Starliner’s launch, the helium tanks that control the thrusters experienced leaks, causing several delays. Officials indicated last month that the spacecraft is equipped with 70 hours of helium, far exceeding the needed seven hours. While they noted that the Starliner could technically return to Earth at this time, they are not yet fully prepared for that eventuality.
According to the latest update from NASA and Boeing, a potential return flight might occur at the end of this month. However, the timeline has become less specific. The teams will now proceed with disassembling and inspecting the thrusters, and continue final preparations for the flight rationale in support of readiness reviews for Starliner’s anticipated return to Earth, featuring commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams in the coming weeks.