The Boeing Starliner mission, originally anticipated to last only a few days, has been extended indefinitely due to technical difficulties, leaving Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore stranded in space. While there is no announced return date, NASA is considering extending the mission’s duration from 45 days to a potential 90 days. This decision stems from ongoing investigations into the Starliner’s unexpected thruster failures and helium leaks that occurred during its journey to the International Space Station in early June.
Despite these challenges, NASA officials have repeatedly emphasized the Starliner’s safety and their confidence in its ability to return astronauts safely. At a recent briefing, NASA officials highlighted that they are not rushing the return, emphasizing the need for a thorough examination of the data from ground tests currently underway in New Mexico. These tests aim to pinpoint the root cause of the thruster malfunctions.
Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, explained that the ground tests could provide crucial insights that may determine a landing date. He emphasized that depending on the test results, the Starliner could remain docked with the space station for an extended period to conduct further testing and gather necessary data.
In addition to the thruster issues, several helium leaks were discovered as the Starliner approached the International Space Station. These leaks have been attributed to the Starliner’s service module, a crucial component that provides power during flight but is designed to be jettisoned and destroyed during reentry. Given these concerns, NASA and Boeing have decided to keep the Starliner safely docked with the space station while they continue their investigations.
Boeing’s Starliner challenges stand out in contrast to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, another participant in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Crew Dragon successfully completed its maiden test flight in 2020 and has been transporting astronauts on regular missions since then. This stark difference highlights the unique challenges faced by Boeing in developing the Starliner from scratch, whereas SpaceX leveraged its existing Cargo Dragon spacecraft, which had years of experience transporting supplies to the International Space Station.
While the Starliner’s technical problems have drawn significant attention, the crew aboard the International Space Station continues its essential scientific and operational activities. A recent update on the ongoing mission highlighted a variety of tasks completed by the Expedition 71 crew, including packing a US cargo craft, cleaning the space station, researching piloting techniques, and performing eye exams.
The NASA Boeing Crew Flight Test crew also continued their research activities, including reconfiguring a space botany lab and preparing for the disposal of the Cygnus space freighter. NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick focused on discarding waste and unwanted items within the Cygnus, while fellow NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps and Tracy Dyson conducted eye exams to assess the effects of microgravity on vision. The Cygnus, which had delivered over 8200 pounds of scientific instruments and crew supplies, is scheduled to detach from the space station on July 12th.
Further emphasizing the ongoing efforts to understand the Starliner’s issues, NASA and Boeing leaders participated in a media teleconference to discuss the situation and ongoing station operations. The agency also announced that the next spacewalk outside the space station has been postponed to the end of July to allow for continued troubleshooting related to a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit, which prematurely ended a spacewalk on June 24th.
While the Starliner’s fate remains uncertain, the crew onboard the International Space Station continues to carry out its vital research and operational tasks, awaiting further developments and a safe return to Earth.
