Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
NASA Flight Director Ed Van Cise announced that a subset of the NASA team is working closely with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft and its crew members, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
The collaboration aims to fine-tune the spacecraft’s systems and prepare for its upcoming departure from the International Space Station (ISS).
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been aboard the ISS for over a month, addressing several issues and glitches with the Starliner spacecraft.
The NASA team is updating crucial software files essential for the spacecraft’s operations as part of a broader effort to ensure all onboard systems function optimally.
Adjustments to onboard systems are being made to continue gathering test flight data, which is vital for improving the spacecraft’s performance.
The crew will take various measurements inside the Starliner’s cabin to assess the spacecraft’s habitability and functionality over extended periods.
Observing and measuring the Starliner’s performance over a longer duration provides comprehensive data on its behaviour in space, crucial for planning future six-month missions.
The current work lays the groundwork for future long-term missions, ensuring that both the spacecraft and the crew are well-prepared for extended stays in space.
NASA will conduct a press conference later to update the public on the potential return plans of the two astronauts, who are currently engaged in several scientific research projects aboard the ISS.