Boeing’s Starliner to Return Empty, Destroying Key Evidence of Malfunction

Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth without astronauts, following a problematic first crewed test flight that revealed serious safety concerns. The decision marks a significant setback for Boeing, which is already facing scrutiny over its commercial jet operations.

The mission’s troubles began before launch when engineers detected gas leaks in the capsule’s propulsion system. These issues worsened after the spacecraft reached the space station, leading NASA to conclude that the Starliner posed too great a risk for astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to use for their return journey. Instead, they will return on a SpaceX craft.

Compounding the problem, the malfunctioning thrusters—integral to the propulsion issues—are part of the Starliner’s service module, which will separate from the crew module and disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere during re-entry. This will destroy any physical evidence of the malfunctions, severely hindering Boeing’s ability to diagnose and rectify the issues, as reported by Ars Technica.

This development is particularly frustrating for Boeing, which had resumed tests at its White Sands facility in New Mexico over the summer. These tests uncovered that a Teflon seal in the thruster expanded beyond its design limits due to overheating from the oxidizer propellant. NASA’s commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich, acknowledged that the thruster was operated beyond its temperature threshold, which was not anticipated in the design specifications.

The destruction of the service module not only erases physical evidence but also represents a symbolic setback for Boeing. After a failed uncrewed orbital test flight in 2019 and a successful docking with the ISS in 2022, Boeing had hoped to prove its capability in space logistics. However, Stich admitted that there were “misses in qualification” and that earlier analyses had failed to predict the thruster issues accurately.

With the upcoming deorbit and module separation, NASA and Boeing face a critical loss of data that could have informed future improvements and risk assessments. The inability to study the malfunctioning thrusters further complicates Boeing’s path forward, casting doubt on the timeline for Starliner’s next mission and crew rotation, which could be delayed by over a year.

This incident underscores the high stakes and complexities involved in space travel and serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of thorough testing and qualification in aerospace ventures. As Boeing navigates these challenges, the aerospace community and observers are keenly watching how the company will address these setbacks and what steps it will take to ensure the safety and reliability of future missions.