NASA Announces Delay of Boeing's Starliner Return, Astronauts to Wait for SpaceX in 2024
TapTechNews August 25th news, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on Saturday local time that given the problems with Boeing's new manned spaceship Starliner, it is too dangerous to send the two astronauts back to Earth, and they have to wait until next year to return on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. The originally planned one-week test flight will now be extended to more than eight months.
TapTechNews noted that the two experienced astronauts have been stranded on the International Space Station since early June this year. The Boeing Starliner had problems with the thruster and helium leak on its way to the International Space Station, resulting in repeated delays in the return time.
After nearly three months of assessment, NASA's top level made the final decision on Saturday. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will return to Earth on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft in February next year. The Starliner spaceship will detach from the International Space Station in early September and attempt to return to the New Mexico desert in an unmanned state. As the test pilots of the Starliner spaceship, the two should have supervised this crucial return journey.
NASA said, The uncrewed return of the 'Starliner' allows NASA and Boeing to continue to collect relevant test data during its return process while not letting the astronauts 'bear risks beyond the unnecessary range'.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said: Test flights are inherently neither safe nor routine. This decision is a commitment to safety. Nelson pointed out that the lessons learned from NASA's two space shuttle accidents played a role. He emphasized that this time encouraged open dialogue instead of suppressing it.
NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Free added: This is not an easy decision, but it is definitely the right decision.
This is a blow to Boeing, increasing the safety issues of the company in aircraft. Boeing had hoped that the first manned flight of the Starliner could revive the beleaguered spacecraft project after years of delays and cost increases. The company insists that based on all recent thruster tests (including space and ground tests), the Starliner spaceship is safe.
Boeing did not participate in NASA's Saturday press conference, but said in a statement: Boeing continues to focus on the safety of the crew and the spacecraft. The company said it is preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful return.
The currently docked SpaceX spacecraft at the International Space Station is reserved for the four residents who have been on the International Space Station since March this year. They will return in late September, and due to the problem of the Starliner spaceship, their regular six-month stay has been extended by one month. NASA said it is not safe to squeeze two more people into the spacecraft unless there is an emergency.
The docked Russian Soyuz spacecraft is even more crowded and can only carry three astronauts, two of whom are Russians and are completing a one-year mission.
Therefore, Wilmore and Williams will wait for SpaceX's next manned spacecraft, which will be launched in late September and carry two astronauts instead of the usual four. NASA will remove two astronauts to make room for Wilmore and Williams' return flight in late February.
Despite the Saturday decision, NASA has not given up on Boeing. Nelson said he 100% believes that the Starliner spaceship will fly again.
Ten years ago, NASA started the Commercial Crew Program, hoping that two US companies would transport astronaut s after the end of the space shuttle era. Boeing got a larger contract: more than 4 billion US dollars, while SpaceX's contract is 2.6 billion US dollars. With the completed International Space Station cargo transportation mission, SpaceX successfully completed its first manned flight in 2020 and has carried out nine manned flights so far, while Boeing has fallen into the dilemma of design flaws, resulting in the company losing more than 1 billion US dollars. NASA officials still hope that the problems of the Starliner spaceship can be corrected within one or two years for another manned flight.