NASA has announced that it will return Boeing's Starliner spacecraft to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard, citing ongoing technical issues and a commitment to safety. The decision comes after a series of problems plagued the spacecraft since its launch in June.
SpaceX Dragons for Crew-9 and Polaris Dawn missions. credit SpaceX
Wilmore and Williams have been aboard the International Space Station since June, supporting research, maintenance, and testing of the Starliner systems. They will now continue their work as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew until February 2025 and return to Earth on a Dragon spacecraft with the SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
The decision to return Starliner uncrewed was made due to uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence on the spacecraft's performance, particularly with regards to helium leaks and issues with the reaction control thrusters. NASA leadership deemed it necessary to prioritize safety and not accept additional risk for the crew.
Starliner is expected to depart the space station in early September and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing. The spacecraft has previously completed two uncrewed flights and is designed to operate autonomously.
Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 13, 2024. NASA/AP
Starliner, designed to carry crew to the International Space Station (ISS), experienced a faulty thruster system and helium leaks during its approach to the ISS. The issues prompted an investigation and a series of tests, which revealed concerns about the spacecraft's ability to safely transport crew.
The thruster problem, specifically related to the spacecraft's Reaction Control System (RCS), raised concerns about Starliner's ability to maintain attitude control and navigate safely. Additionally, the helium leaks posed a risk to the spacecraft's propulsion and life support systems.
Despite efforts to address these issues, NASA and Boeing determined that the risks associated with returning the spacecraft with crew onboard outweighed the benefits. Instead, the spacecraft will return to Earth uncrewed, allowing for further testing and evaluation.
Since its launch, Starliner has faced numerous challenges, including:
1. Software issues: Starliner's flight software experienced glitches, causing the spacecraft to miss its intended orbit and requiring a series of corrective maneuvers.
2. Communication problems: The spacecraft experienced intermittent communication losses with ground control, raising concerns about its ability to transmit critical data.
3. Thruster malfunctions: The RCS thrusters, responsible for attitude control and navigation, failed to perform as expected, prompting an investigation and software updates.
4. Helium leaks: The spacecraft's propulsion system experienced leaks, posing a risk to the spacecraft's ability to maintain pressure and support life support systems.
These issues have raised concerns about the spacecraft's reliability and safety, leading NASA to re-evaluate its certification process for commercial crew vehicles. The agency will conduct a thorough review of the mission data to inform future corrective actions and ensure the spacecraft meets safety and performance requirements.
On Saturday, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said NASA considered its extensive experience with spaceflight — both successful and unsuccessful — when making the decision. A poll of NASA representatives from across the agency’s departments and research, oversight and development centers was unanimous, according to agency officials.
“We have had mistakes done in the past: We lost two space shuttles as a result of there not being a culture in which information could come forward,” Nelson said. “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and even at its most routine. And a test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine.”
SpaceX is already in line to launch a routine crewed mission to the International Space Station, carrying four astronauts as part of standard crew rotations aboard the orbiting laboratory. But the mission, called Crew-9, will now be reconfigured to carry two astronauts on board instead of four.
That adjustment will leave two empty seats for Williams and Wilmore to occupy on the Crew-9 return flight. The astronauts will also officially join the Crew-9 team, becoming part of the official ISS expedition. With this adjustment, Williams and Wilmore will stay onboard ISS for an additional six months.
The SpaceX Crew 9 mission, originally slated to launch this month will now launch no earlier than September 24. Nasa and SpaceX are working to reconfigure seats,adjust the launch manifest and prepare for launch.
SpaceX’s chief operating officer, Gwynne Shotwell, also responded to the news with a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“SpaceX stands ready to support @NASA however we can,” Shotwell said.
The decision to return Starliner uncrewed marks a setback for Boeing's commercial crew program, which has faced delays and technical challenges since its inception and at the same time validates SpaceX’s reliability in crew missions. However, NASA and Boeing remain committed to developing a safe and reliable crew vehicle, with the goal of establishing a robust commercial crew program for low-Earth orbit missions.
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Well said.
Do ye hope to be allowed cover the return of the e.ty module?