Boeing's Starliner spacecraft achieved a significant milestone by successfully docking with the International Space Station (ISS) despite facing technical challenges. On June 6, 2024, the capsule, carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, safely connected to the orbiting outpost.
Starliner launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, marking the first time it delivered astronauts to space. This mission is a critical step toward certifying Starliner for regular crewed missions with NASA, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule.
A camera on the International Space Station captured spectacular head-on views of Boeing's Starliner crew capsule as it moved in for docking Thursday.
During the mission, Starliner encountered three helium leaks, one of which was identified before leaving Earth. Additionally, five of the 28 maneuvering thrusters on the spacecraft's propulsion system failed. These thrusters play a crucial role in adjusting the capsule's trajectory during approach to the ISS. Despite these challenges, NASA and Boeing managed to troubleshoot the thruster issue, allowing the successful docking.
As the hatch opened, astronauts Wilmore and Williams entered the ISS to cheers from their fellow crew members. Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams danced as the Boeing Starliner capsule, carrying her and her crewmate Barry "Butch" Wilmore, safely docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. Williams created history as she became the first woman to pilot a new spacecraft on its inaugural crewed test flight to space.
A successful mission would help dispel the bitter taste left by the years of safety scares and delays, and provide Boeing a much-needed reprieve from the intense safety concerns surrounding its passenger jets.
NASA and Russian crew welcome NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station after arriving in Boeing Starliner on June 6, 2024. Credit: NASA
During their roughly weeklong stay on the orbital outpost, Wilmore and Williams will continue to evaluate the spacecraft systems, including simulating whether the ship can be used as a safe haven in the event of problems.
After undocking from the ISS, Starliner will re-enter the atmosphere, with the crew experiencing 3.5G as they slow down from 28,000kmh to a gentle parachute- and airbag-assisted touchdown in the western United States.
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