In this screen grab from a NASA livestream, the Boeing Starliner spacecraft can be seen pulling away from the International Space Station for its unmanned return to the surface of Earth on September 6, 2024. – Boeing’s problem-plagued Starliner is set to finally depart the International Space Station (ISS) on September 6, 2024, returning to Earth without astronauts after NASA deemed the risk too great. (Photo by NASA / Agence France-Presse)
WASHINGTON, United States — Boeing’s problem-plagued Starliner left the International Space Station (ISS) on Fridayjoya, bound for Earth without astronauts after NASA deemed the risk too great.
The century-old aerospace giant’s reputation has taken a hammering over thruster malfunctions and helium leaks its spaceship encountered on its way up to the orbital outpost in June, and the US space agency’s subsequent decision to fly its crew back on a rival SpaceX Crew Dragon next year.
“It is time to bring Calypso home,” astronaut Suni Williams told mission control, using the spaceship’s nickname. “We have your back and you’ve got this, bring her back to Earth. Good luck.”
Article continues after this advertisementStarliner autonomously undocked from the space station at 6:04 pm Eastern Time (2204 GMT), and is set to land at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico at approximately 0403 GMT.
FEATURED STORIES TECHNOLOGY vivo launches V40 Lite with 5000mAh battery covered by 50-month warranty, starts at Php 13,999 TECHNOLOGY Galaxy Buds3 Pro: Delivering tailored sound wherever you go TECHNOLOGY Very mindful, very intuitive: ASUS’ most superior AI PC yet, the Zenbook S 14, empowers you to achieve moreA smooth, uneventful ride home is critical not only for salvaging some pride but also for Boeing’s prospects of securing certification to fly astronauts in the future.
NASA opted to bring the ship home without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Williams despite Boeing’s assurances of a safe flight.
Article continues after this advertisementThe company carried out extensive ground testing that aimed to replicate the technical hitches the spaceship had experienced on its ascent, and devised plans to prevent more problems.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: NASA to keep 2 astronauts in space until February
Article continues after this advertisementIn the end, however, Boeing could not convince NASA it could be trusted to bring back the pair, who were originally meant to stay on the ISS for roughly a week as they tested out Starliner, but will now remain there until February.
“Boeing believed in the model that they had created that tried to predict the thruster degradation for the rest of the flight,” Steve Stich, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, told reporters this week.
Article continues after this advertisementBut “the NASA team, due to the uncertainty in the modeling, could not get comfortable with that,” he added, characterizing the mood during meetings as “tense.”
Boeing Starliner certification decisions to comeShortly after undocking, Starliner will perform a powerful “breakout burn” that will shoot it well clear of the station to prevent any chance of a collision – a maneuver that would have been unnecessary if it had crew aboard who could take manual control of the ship if needed.
Overall, the expectation is that Starliner will successfully carry out its parachute- and airbag-assisted landing – just as it has during two previous uncrewed tests in 2019 and 2022.
READ: NASA weighs SpaceX rescue for stranded Boeing Starliner crew
But ground teams will be closely studying all aspects of its performance, particularly its troublesome thrusters during the crucial “deorbit burn” that brings the spacecraft back through Earth’s atmosphere.
Stich emphasized that NASA was focused on completing the immediate tasks at hand.
“When we do that, we’ll have a better understanding of when can we certify the vehicle and when can we resume flights,” he said.
NASA awarded Boeing and SpaceX multibillion-dollar contracts a decade ago to develop spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS, following the retirement of the Space Shuttle.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Elon Musk’s SpaceX, however, beat Boeing to the punchjoya, successfully flying dozens of astronauts since 2020.
TOPICS: Boeing Starliner, NASA READ NEXT Eating 2 slices of ham a day can raise type 2 diabetes risk Samsung One UI 6.1.1 expands latest Galaxy AI features to even... EDITORS' PICK UPDATES: 2025 elections precampaign stories NBA: Nuggets give Aaron Gordon 4-year, $133M extension LIVE UPDATES: Tropical Storm Kristine DILG identifies 38 hotspots ahead of 2025 polls Sandro Marcos calls out VP Sara Duterte: ‘You crossed the line’ Manila Water Foundation and partners underscore benefits of handwashing MOST READ SC issues TRO vs Comelec resolution on dismissed public officials Tropical Storm Kristine slightly intensifies; Signal No. 2 in 5 areas Walang Pasok: Class suspensions on Wednesday, Oct. 23 LIVE UPDATES: Tropical Storm Kristine View comments