By Astronauts For Astronauts: Boeing Starliner To Return Crewless (image @BoeingSpace)
The Boeing Starliner which flew to the International Space Station (ISS) was touted as a space capsule made by astronauts for astronauts. However, much to the embarrassment of Boeing, it is now to return without any of its human spacefarers. The spacecraft, on which the Indian-origin (NASA) astronaut Sunita Williams flew, is now slated for September 6th, and is expected to land about six hours after it undocks. It will return in its autonomous mode.
The Starliner was on its first crewed test flight, carrying Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore for what was meant to be an eight-day mission. The two has been at the ISS since June 6, and their stay kept getting extended due to propulsion issues on the Starliner.
On August 24, NASA announced that the astronauts would return to Earth in February 2025, and the Boeing spacecraft would come back without its crew.
Also Read: Sunita Williams, Butch Willmore Could ‘Vaporise To Death’ On Re-Entry: Expert
The return without crew allows NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on the Starliner during its journey back, and also allow it to not to accept more risk than necessary for its crew. NASA officials said the decision was “unanimous” on its part.
According to the space agency, the decision to get the spacecraft to return without crew was taken as a “tense” meeting between NASA and Boeing officials.
Former astronaut and NASA chief, Senator Bill Nelson, said, “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni (Sunita Williams) aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home without crew is the result of our commitment to safety – our core value and our North Star”.
Boeing said it is confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew. In a statement issued, the company said, “We continue to support NASA’s requests for additional testing, data, analysis and reviews to affirm the spacecraft’s safe undocking and landing capabilities. Our confidence is based on this abundance of valuable testing from Boeing and NASA. The testing has confirmed that 27 of 28 RCS (reaction control system) thrusters are healthy and back to full operational capability”.
However, NASA, which faced to horrible accidents before – the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle – does not want to take risks at any cost. In a statement released, it said the “uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence does not meet the agency’s safety and performance requirements for human spaceflight”.
