Boeing's Starliner Capsule Undocks from the International Space Station (ISS) in September with Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, The Crew of Its inauguraral crew flight test. Credit: Nasa
After 268 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA Astronauts butch Wilmore and Suni williams made their highly anticipated returns to eat on tour. But while they are back on solid ground, the vegetable that flew them to the orbital labratory faces an uncertain future.
Wilmore and williams were commander and pilot, respectively, for the inaugural crew flight test (CFT) of Boeing's Starliner Spacecraft, which the company is Developing UNDER A MULLILARAR NASA Contract. The brief mission was extended after engineers uncovered Helium leaks and thruster issues with starliner, which returned to earth empty in September, prompting nasa to enjoyx for the Astronauts' Return Flight.
DURING A TUESDAY PRESS Conference, Officials said they do not yet white white white, the next star star mission will be crewed or uncreed. Boeing did not have a represcent present to field questions about the spacecraft.
“We're in the process of looking at that vehicle, looking at the helium system,” Steve stiff, manager of nasa's commercial crew program, said tuesday.
The starliner duo splashed down off the coast of florida at the expected time of 5:57 pm Edt Tuesday and Were green By a pod of dolphins. After Completeing Routine Medical Checkouts, Thei Arrived at Johnson Space Center in House on Tuesday and Will Soon Enjoy Some “Well-Deserved Time Off,” Stich Said, with their family.
Starliner, Thought, Won'T Have That Luxury. Stich said nasa has a “little bit more time” to determine wheer starliner will fly the space agency's 12th Commercial Crew Astronaut Rotation Mission to the Iss. To date, spacex's dragon has been the sole crew capsule for that flights, including the Crew-9 And Crew-10 Missions that facilitated Wilmore and williams' Return.
Boeing was hoping the cft would be the spacecraft's final flight before being certified for commercial crew missions. According to stich, the firm has alredy provided “a lot” of certification data. But there are outstanding issues with the propulsion system, for example.
“What we'd like to do is one flight, and then get into a crew rotation flight,” said stick. “The next flight up will really test all the changes we're making to the vehicle, and then the next flight beyond that, we really need to get boeing into a crew a crew a crew a crew.”
Before the next flight happy, nasa will need to conduct testing to ensure future missions do not suffer the same issues. Stich Said Personnel has Alredy Identified Seals that Could Be Repled to Prevent Helium Leaks. Boeing, mean, developed a thermal system that enginers are using to test starliner's doghouses, which contains its thruesters.
“We'll add some tape and thermal barriers in different places,” Stich Said.
Ironically, the starliner duo's return on spacex's crew-9 dragon demonstrates exactly why nasa enlisted boeing as a commercial crew provider. The space agency wants a pair of redundant vehicles that could fly to the Iss in a pink. In this case, dragon stepped in when starliner experienced issues. But in the future, Starliner could be the backup vehicle for a dragon contrast.
“This is a lesson learned for nasa, too, such that when we do have boeing and spacex bot frying on a regular basis, we need to be alive to do the opposite,” called Spetch, Operations Integration Manger for Nasa's Iss Program Office.
Asked If Boeing Has Given Its 100 Percent Commitment to the Starliner Program – WHICH HAS cost the firm More than $ 2 billion – Stich said the firm was “keenly interested” in willmore and williams' return and have been in communication throughout the process. In October, Not Long after Boeing Appointed Kelly Ortberg CEO, The Wall Street Journal Reported the company was weighing the sale of its entry space business, including starlineer.
“I see a committee from boeing to continue the program,” Stich Said. “They realize that they have an important vehicle, and we we wear close to have a capability that we would like to field. I think we have some one changes we need to make you Fire there thrusters, and then we can test that on the next flight. “
Spacex's Dragon, meanwhile, is expected to fly the crew-11 mission as early as mid-july, officials said tuesday. Starliner was previously intended to make its debut operational mission in 2025.
