NASA is set to bring back Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft tomorrow i.e. September 6. The space capsule was launched in June with two astronauts: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, but it is returning to Earth empty. NASA declared it unfit for the astronauts, which is a big dent in Boeing’s reputation. The astronauts will now come back in February 2025 in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
NASA even admitted that it had “difference of opinions” with Boeing while deciding the return plan for the astronauts. Steve Stich, Manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Space Center, revealed at a press conference that it "was a tough decision to make" and that “it was really hard to determine to be uncrewed or not.”
He said, “I would say the teams were very split...and [due to the] uncertainty relative to the thruster...the NASA team chose to return Butch and Suni on [SpaceX] Dragon”. At the conference, it was asked if there was a “shouting match” or “heated discussion” during the said discussion. He stated, “I wouldn't say it was a yelling screaming kind of meeting...it was a tense technical discussion....”
Scheduled to undock at 3.30 am IST on September 6, the Starliner space capsule will land on White Sands, New Mexico.
For the unversed, Starliner has experienced multiple thruster failures and helium leaks, making it risky for the astronauts. “It has been a really busy and challenging summer,” said Dana Weigel, NASA’s ISS program manager. “Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft,” Boeing said in a statement. “We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return.”
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate stated, “Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test. We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We also will continue to gather more data about Starliner during the uncrewed return and improve the system for future flights to the space station.”