NASA and Boeing have jointly announced the further extension of the first Starliner crewed flight, with no new target date set for the return of the capsule to Earth. The Starliner capsule named “Calypso” will continue its stay at the International Space Station for the foreseeable future, as Boeing and NASA undertake new testing on the ground. This delay in the return of the capsule has been initiated for the purpose of conducting extensive testing on the spacecraft’s thruster technology. The team is planning to conduct the testing at White Sands, New Mexico, to replicate in-flight conditions as accurately as possible.
The testing campaign for the Starliner spacecraft’s thruster technology is expected to take a couple of weeks before the capsule is deemed ready for the return journey to Earth. NASA’s Commercial Crew manager, Steve Stich, mentioned during a press conference that the testing will be carried out rigorously to ensure the spacecraft’s readiness for the journey back. Originally scheduled for a nine-day stay in space, the Starliner flight has now surpassed 24 days with no specific return date in sight. Despite the prolonged stay at the ISS, officials have reiterated that the capsule is equipped to return immediately in case of an emergency.
NASA and Boeing have underscored that the delay in the return of Starliner is primarily aimed at gathering more data on the spacecraft’s performance, particularly its thruster system. This testing phase is crucial in assessing the overall functionality and safety of the spacecraft before it embarks on future crewed missions. Officials have made it clear that the crew members aboard, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are not in any danger and are not stranded in space.
While the crewed flight test is a significant milestone for Starliner, similar to its previous uncrewed missions, the spacecraft has encountered several challenges during its stay at the ISS. Once considered a competitor to SpaceX’s Dragon, Starliner’s setbacks and delays have relegated it to a secondary position as a backup option for NASA. The agency plans to alternate between SpaceX and Boeing for crewed missions to the ISS in the future.
The ground testing scheduled to take place at White Sands will provide a comprehensive examination of the spacecraft’s thruster system. The primary objective of these tests is to identify and rectify any anomalies in the thruster’s performance that were observed during the mission. Once the ground testing is successfully completed, the team will strategize the plan for the safe return of the capsule to Earth.
While the extended stay of Starliner at the ISS may seem unprecedented, NASA and Boeing have reiterated their confidence in the spacecraft’s safety and longevity. The decision to delay the return to Earth is not based on any immediate risks or issues but is rather an optional choice to conduct further experiments during the mission. Both agency and company representatives have expressed optimism about the successful completion of the testing phase and the safe return of the crew members aboard the spacecraft.