Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on September 6, 2024, and return to Earth, confirmed NASA.
Boeing’s beleaguered Starliner will initiate its uncrewed return after it first launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, with high-hopes, 13 weeks ago on June 5, 2024.
NASA confirmed on August 24, 2024, that Starliner will return to Earth without its two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who will instead hitch a ride on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in February 2025.
NASA has scheduled the Boeing spacecraft to reach Earth on September 7, 2024, for the landing and conclusion of the flight test.
As Starliner approached the International Space Station on June 6, 2024, “NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters”.
After weeks of discussions and tests it was eventually decided that for the safety of the astronauts, Starliner should return home uncrewed.
“Decisions like this are never easy, but I commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” Ken Bowersox, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, explained on August 24, 2024.
In a press briefing on September 4, 2024, NASA confirmed that Starliner will land at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.
“I’m personally looking very forward to getting Starliner back,” Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said. “We’ve learned a lot on this test flight, but we’ll continue to learn more, I’m sure, through the undock and the de-orbit phase.”
