The Starliner’s return flight was first planned for June 14, then the 18th. Now, Boeing’s space capsule is scheduled to return to Earth on June 22.
Clearly, the development of the Starliner capsule was above all a story of missed appointments. The manned flight to the International Space Station (ISS) finally took place on June 6, after years of delay on the initial schedule. This, despite the detection of several small helium leaks, before takeoff and during the mission.
Now it’s the return flight which encounters some schedule disruptions. Originally, it was planned to bring back Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, the two astronauts participating in the Boe-CFT (Boeing Crew Flight Test) mission to validate the spacecraft’s ability to transport a crew, on June 14, 2024.
Two postponements for the return of the Starliner
This deadline was pushed back for the first time to June 18, to take into account both the weather conditions of the region in which the capsule will make its atmospheric re-entry, but also the degree of preparation of the machine. It was also a matter of carrying out checks and supervising a spacewalk (ultimately canceled).
Now, it has been postponed to June 22, according to a progress update shared on June 14. According to Boeing and the American space agency, these four extra days will allow planning and the entire departure procedure to be completed peacefully – even if, according to NASA and the manufacturer, Starliner is already considered viable for a return emergency.
“ The crew will perform additional operations on the hatch to better understand its handling, repeat certain safety tests and evaluate piloting using the front window », Commented Steve Stich, program director in charge of human spaceflight at NASA. This is useful in anticipation of operational missions, in particular.
At Boeing too, we see this shift as an opportunity to test the ship a little more in its environment. “ We have plenty of margin and time on board the station to maximize learning opportunities for all partners, including our crew “, noted Mark Nappi, manager at Boeing.
The return of the Starliner will be to the southwest of the United States. The capsule will be assisted by a parachute system as well as an airbag to help it decelerate and land as smoothly as possible. If all goes well, Starliner qualification will take place in a few months. As for the first real missions, they are expected at the beginning of 2025.
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