Boeing's Starliner lands on Earth without astronauts
Boeing's Starliner space capsule has successfully landed on Earth, marking the end of an extended mission. The spacecraft, which was originally scheduled to depart months earlier, left the International Space Station (ISS) earlier today without its two astronauts. As per NASA, the Starliner autonomously undocked from its port at 6:04pm ET (3:34am IST) for a six-hour journey back to Earth. It touched down at New Mexico's White Sands Space Harbor at 12:01am ET (9:31am IST).
Astronauts remain on ISS due to technical issues
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who were supposed to return on the Starliner in June, will now stay at the ISS until February. Their journey was disrupted by thruster failures and helium leaks during their trip to the space station. Due to these issues, NASA deemed it too risky for them to return on the Starliner. Instead, they will be returning aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft next year in February as part of Crew-9 mission.
Starliner's journey marred by setbacks
The Starliner's journey has been fraught with delays and setbacks. Boeing faced numerous issues during its first test flight in 2019, leading to a repeat of the mission. The second attempt in 2022 revealed more flaws, pushing the repair costs to over $1.5 billion. The spacecraft finally launched on June 5 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station after two unsuccessful attempts, despite technical problems and reported helium leaks in the service module.
Capsule's return and future plans for Boeing
The Starliner's landing was facilitated by parachutes and airbags for a soft touchdown. Despite the issues faced during this mission, NASA remains committed to its partnership with Boeing. Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial Crew Program Manager, stated that teams have been so focused on Starliner's return they've had no time to consider what's next for Boeing, but affirmed the space agency's commitment to having two competing US companies transporting astronauts.
