Boeing's Starliner capsule's return to Earth will face a slight delay due to thruster troubleshooting and a planned spacewalk. NASA revealed today that the conclusion of Starliner's first human mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is now set for no earlier than June 26, almost three weeks post-launch.
Also Read: Apple's new 'Help Me Choose' website guides you to the right Mac
NASA moves Starliner landing to June 26 to collect more test flight data https://t.co/k4t3DJI1WH #neuco pic.twitter.com/nxqQhsdoen — Laurie Scott 🛰🚀🌍📡 (@Laurieneuco) June 19, 2024
The landing is expected to take place at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico at 4:51 a.m. EDT (0851 GMT) on that day. The live coverage will be available here at Space.com through NASA Television.
Originally planned for a week-long stay at the ISS, the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission with two astronauts has seen a significant delay in its ISS departure. The additional time is being utilized by NASA and Boeing to further investigate the thruster issues that caused problems during Starliner's initial ISS docking attempt on June 6.
Furthermore, the postponed ISS maintenance spacewalk is now rescheduled for June 24, just two days before Starliner's planned departure.
During a teleconference with reporters, Steve Stich, the manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, expressed the intention to provideDuring the final stage of the ISS rendezvous on June 6, Stich emphasized that five out of Starliner's 28 reaction control thrusters experienced failure.
However, four of them were eventually restored and came back online. It is important to note that the evaluation of this incident is still ongoing. In order to investigate further, Boeing and NASA ground team members conducted a thruster hot-fire test over the weekend, in the presence of the astronauts. Following this test, Stich expressed that everyone involved now possesses a strong sense of confidence.
Teams from NASA and Boeing are aiming for #Starliner to undock from the ISS no earlier than 10:10 p.m. EDT on June 25, landing early June 26 at White Sands Space Harbor in NW.#WeBelieveInAstronauts #Astronauts #Trailblazers #Icons #Heroes pic.twitter.com/GVh9RV2yxs — Uniphi Space Agency (@UniphiSpaceAge) June 19, 2024
teams with additional time to thoroughly examine the data, conduct analysis, and ensure our preparedness before returning home. In the event of an emergency, Starliner has the capability to undock; however, continuous testing is being conducted to gain further insights into the vehicle's systems.
Also Read: Apple pauses Vision Pro 2 amidst weak sales, plans cheaper headset for 2025
