The first crewed test mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, carrying two astronauts, is currently underway with no confirmed return date to Earth.
NASA’s manager of the Commercial Crew Programme, Steve Stich, mentioned the possibility of extending Starliner’s mission from 45 days to 90 days, as reported by CNN.
The Starliner faced challenges such as helium leaks and thruster failures on its journey to the International Space Station in early June. However, officials are working towards ensuring a safe return for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
Engineers are still investigating the root cause of the Starliner’s technical issues, as stated by Stich and Mark Nappi, vice president and programme manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Programme. Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams are actively participating in the routine tasks alongside the crew on the International Space Station.
Nappi emphasized the importance of ground tests to identify potential causes for the thrusters’ malfunction while the spacecraft is in orbit. He mentioned that the goal is to gather necessary information for a successful return journey.
NASA’s official provided an update during a briefing on Friday, stating, “We are currently assessing the timeline for conducting the test in New Mexico and analyzing the data.” He emphasized that determining a landing date is the primary focus at the moment. Stich also mentioned, “There is no urgency to return home.” The extension of the mission is partly due to the ground tests planned by Boeing and NASA in New Mexico to investigate the thruster issues that occurred during the initial phase of the Starliner’s journey.
In addition to the thruster malfunctions, various helium leaks were detected while the spacecraft was en route to the International Space Station. CNN reported that the Starliner’s service module, responsible for supplying power during flight, experienced multiple problems. Since the service module is not designed to withstand the return journey to Earth and is jettisoned upon reentry, NASA and Boeing opted to keep the spacecraft docked at the space station to thoroughly investigate the issues.
Based on the most recent data regarding the ongoing space mission, the crew members of Expedition 71 completed various tasks on Friday, including packing a US cargo ship, cleaning the International Space Station, exploring future piloting strategies, and conducting eye examinations. Nappi expressed, “We have successfully completed a very promising test flight so far, despite the negative perception.”
The NASA Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts spent the day reconfiguring a space botany facility. In a blog post, NASA announced, “Robotics controllers are set to detach the Cygnus space freighter from the Unity module on July 12 and release it into Earth’s orbit for disposal over the South Pacific Ocean, concluding a five-and-a-half-month mission at the orbital laboratory.” NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick focused on loading trash and disposing of equipment inside the Cygnus with assistance from fellow NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps and Tracy C Dyson. The Canadarm2 robotic arm captured the Cygnus on February 1, carrying over 8200 pounds of science experiments and crew provisions.
On Friday, Starliner’s Commander and Pilot, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, conducted space botany work in Kibo. They removed the Plant Habitat growth chamber from Kibo’s EXPRESS rack, replaced its camera and carbon dioxide sensors, and reinstalled the research equipment.
In the blog post, NASA mentioned, “NASA and Boeing are still assessing Starliner’s propulsion system performance before its return to Earth from the orbital laboratory. NASA and Boeing leaders engaged in a media teleconference today to discuss Starliner and station operations.” “NASA is now aiming for the end of July for the next spacewalk outside the space station. This adjustment allows ground teams to continue troubleshooting and understanding the water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit that led to an early termination of a spacewalk on Monday, June 24,” it further stated.
