NASA and Boeing have once again delayed the Starliner’s return from the International Space Station (ISS), as the two-person crew completes a full review of the spacecraft’s technical problems.
The mission, Boeing’s first manned space launch, was originally scheduled to last nine days.
For now, it’s unclear exactly when flight commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams will return from space. The agency has indicated it is evaluating dates after the station’s two planned spacewalks, on June 24 and July 2.
“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” wrote Steve Stich, NASA Commercial Crew Program manager, in a statement. “We are letting the data guide our decision-making regarding the management of the small leaks in the helium system and the performance of the thrusters we observed during the rendezvous and docking.”
The Calypso capsule has suffered helium leaks and propulsion problems since it was launched into space on June 5 after several delays. When he tried to dock with the ISS, four of the 28 thrusters fell and the landing was delayed. Now only one thruster remains dead.
This Starliner mission was intended to be the culmination of a decades-long effort by Boeing to design missions to space using its spacecraft. The test flight in question was the final step for the company to begin transporting astronauts to and from the space station.
The problems Boeing now faces with the spacecraft pose more problems for the company. A successful test flight was expected to be a victory after years filled with controversy surrounding the Boeing 737 Max plane.
Boeing and its main competitor, SpaceX, have been competing in a privatized space race since NASA chose the two companies in 2014 to manufacture spacecraft that would be responsible for transporting North American astronauts to and from the ISS. SpaceX launched its first successful crewed mission, Dragon, in 2020, and has since flown nine missions with the agency
NASA originally awarded $2.6 billion to Space X and $4 billion to Boeing for their respective programs. Since then, Boeing has spent $1.5 billion on cost overruns, according to Reuters.
The astronauts were scheduled to return on June 26, already 12 days late from the original planned date of June 14.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
