Additional Coverage:
- NASA will decide Saturday if Boeing’s new capsule is safe enough to fly 2 astronauts back from space (newsbreak.com)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA announced that it will make a decision this weekend on whether Boeing’s new spacecraft is equipped to safely bring back two astronauts from the International Space Station, who have been in orbit since June. The decision will be made by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson along with other senior officials in a meeting set for Saturday, with an update to follow from Houston.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were sent to space on June 5 aboard Boeing’s Starliner for what was intended to be a short stay. However, the mission faced significant issues early on, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, leading NASA to keep the Starliner docked at the station while engineers assessed possible solutions.
An alternative being considered is to use SpaceX for the astronauts’ return, which would extend their stay in space until February next year. Should NASA opt for this, the Starliner would then return to Earth unmanned in September.
NASA engineers are currently reviewing a new computer simulation for the Starliner’s thrusters to ensure their reliability during the capsule’s re-entry and descent towards a landing in the Western United States. This evaluation, along with refreshed risk assessments, will be crucial in NASA’s forthcoming decision.
Earlier this month, Boeing confirmed that comprehensive in-space and ground tests of the thrusters have shown that the Starliner is capable of safely returning its crew. This flight marked Boeing’s inaugural manned mission, which was postponed due to various technical issues with the capsule. Boeing’s previous two Starliner missions were uncrewed.
NASA contracted both Boeing and SpaceX ten years ago to transport astronauts to and from the space station following the retirement of the space shuttles. SpaceX has been conducting these missions since 2020.
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