Boeing’s Starliner has undocked from the International Space Station and is set to land in the New Mexico desert without its crew, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who will remain at the station for five more months. The decision to scuttle their return was made due to concerns about the spacecraft’s reliability. The landing is expected to go smoothly, with the spacecraft descending into the atmosphere using parachutes.
Boeing’s Starliner encountered issues even before its launch, with helium leaks and propulsion system problems. The successful return will be crucial for Boeing to gain approval from NASA to transport crews and cargo regularly to the space station. SpaceX, on the other hand, has already been reliably transporting astronauts and supplies since 2020.
The plan now is for Wilmore and Williams to return in February aboard a SpaceX Dragon vehicle, which will launch as early as September 24. The Dragon will bring just two astronauts to make space for the Starliner crew. The Crew-9 astronauts are set to relieve the current mission and begin a six-month rotation at the space station.
During their extended stay at the station, Williams and Wilmore have conducted more than 40 scientific experiments and will continue to assist with research and maintenance until their return. Despite the setbacks with Starliner, NASA officials remain confident in the future of commercial crew programs with both Boeing and SpaceX.
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