NASA opts for uncrewed Starliner return due to safety concerns

NASA announced that Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will return to Earth without the two astronauts currently aboard, in order to mitigate safety risks.

The decision follows the discovery of helium leaks and thruster problems with the spacecraft in June 2024. Despite extensive engineering efforts to resolve these issues, NASA and Boeing determined that Starliner does not meet the safety standards required for crewed flights.

In a statement released on August 24, 2024, NASA said that the uncrewed return will allow both NASA and Boeing to gather critical data during the spacecraft’s journey back to Earth.

“Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine. The decision to keep the astronauts aboard the International Space Station and return Boeing’s Starliner uncrewed reflects our commitment to safety, our core value, and North Star,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the statement.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June, will remain there to continue their research and system testing. They are expected to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of the Crew-9 mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than September 24, 2024.

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“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.

“We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We will continue to gather data on Starliner during the uncrewed return and use it to improve the system for future flights,” Bowersox concluded.

After extensive review by experts across the agency, NASA’s @BoeingSpace Crew Flight Test will return with an uncrewed #Starliner. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are scheduled to return to Earth next spring aboard #Crew9: https://t.co/bfjenUU1Jf pic.twitter.com/c4NzZVJcvw— NASA (@NASA) August 24, 2024Starliner, which has completed two uncrewed flights previously, will conduct a controlled, autonomous landing in early September 2024. The spacecraft’s performance during this mission will be crucial for future crewed flights. After Starliner’s return, NASA will review the mission data to determine the necessary steps for certification.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the Crew-9 mission, which will launch from Cape Canaveral using new facilities designed to increase operational flexibility.

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