Boeing Starliner to Return Uncrewed Amid Safety Concerns, NASA Announces

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, plagued by technical issues, is set to return to Earth without a crew this Friday evening. NASA has scheduled the autonomous undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) at 8:04 p.m. MDT, with a planned landing at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, by 12:03 a.m. Saturday. This decision comes after the spacecraft, initially carrying astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the ISS nearly three months ago, encountered multiple problems, including failed maneuvering thrusters and helium leaks.

NASA and Boeing have been intensely scrutinizing the spacecraft’s systems since the docking anomalies were observed. Despite extensive testing and consultations with propulsion experts, the consensus on the spacecraft’s readiness for a crewed return was not reached, prompting the shift to an uncrewed return. The Starliner’s design allows for autonomous flight, which has been utilized previously in test missions.

The agency will stream live coverage of Starliner’s journey back to Earth across various platforms including NASA+, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. The spacecraft must vacate its docking port at the ISS before the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon Crew-9 mission, scheduled for late September.

This development underscores NASA’s stringent safety standards for human spaceflight and represents a cautious approach to resolving the technical challenges faced by the Starliner. Meanwhile, plans are being adjusted for future ISS missions to accommodate the ongoing situation with the spacecraft.