NASA Delays Boeing's Starliner Return, Issues and Challenges
TapTechNews on June 12, a blog post from NASA informed that the mission team plans to postpone the return time of Boeing's Starliner and its first batch of astronauts from the International Space Station to no earlier than June 18, and the mission team is studying factors that may affect the return of the Starliner spacecraft.
Referencing TapTechNews' previous reports, Boeing's CST-100 Starliner was launched with two astronauts on June 5 and docked with the International Space Station on June 6. It was originally planned to separate from the station and return to Earth this Friday (June 14). This mission is a key test before NASA certifies the flight of Starliner.
Dina Contella, deputy program manager of NASA's International Space Station, disclosed that NASA discovered a new problem during the Starliner's docking at the station - a stuck oxidizer valve.
A blog article published by NASA on Monday mentioned that there is also an unexpected helium gas leak in the Starliner's propulsion system, and four leak points have already been found during the spaceship's 24-hour journey to the station last week.
Moreover, during this flight, five of the 28 maneuvering thrusters of Starliner have malfunctioned, but NASA and Boeing are confident in restoring the function of four of these thrusters before the spaceship docks with the orbital laboratory. NASA officials stated that the Starliner can dock at the station for up to 45 days.
Before arranging the return of the Starliner, NASA project personnel in Houston need to weigh various factors, including repairing faulty parts on the Starliner, weather conditions, and the schedule of the station, such as spacewalks of other astronauts, and more information about the return of the Starliner may be announced later.
According to the plan, the Starliner will first leave the station on June 18 and then land in the desert at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the dry lake bed in Wilcox, Arizona, or other similar predetermined locations about six hours later depending on weather conditions.
It is worth noting that due to the frequently occurring various accidents and negative information, Boeing's share price has dropped by 26.32% so far this year and is still falling.
