Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth without a crew on September 6, following an undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). If conditions permit, the spacecraft will leave the ISS at 6:04 PM Eastern time, with a landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico around 12:03 AM Eastern time on September 7.
The descent will be aided by parachutes and airbags, while ground teams at Starliner Mission Control in Houston and Boeing Mission Control Center in Florida stand by to control the craft remotely if necessary. The flight is expected to be fully autonomous.
NASA announced that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were initially set to return to Earth aboard the Starliner, will instead use a SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle next year.
The decision comes after the astronauts experienced technical difficulties with the Starliner during their journey to the ISS in June. The spacecraft’s maneuvering thrusters failed, and an existing helium leak worsened, prompting tests to assess the Starliner’s safety. Ultimately, NASA chose the SpaceX vehicle for their return, citing uncertainties surrounding the Starliner’s thrusters.
NASA will broadcast Starliner’s return live via NASA+, the NASA app, and its website. Meanwhile, the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which will replace the Boeing vehicle on the ISS, is set to launch no earlier than September 24. The Crew-9 mission will fly with two astronauts—NASA’s Nick Hague and Roscosmos’s Aleksandr Gorbunov—leaving two seats available for Wilmore and Williams for their return in February 2025.
Featured Image courtesy of NASA
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