NASA and Boeing Extend ISS Mission to Enhance Starliner Testing Amid Thruster Issues

NASA and Boeing Extend ISS Mission to Enhance Starliner Testing Amid Thruster Issues
Image credit: NASA website 

NASA and Boeing officials have refuted recent reports suggesting that the two astronauts brought to the International Space Station (ISS) by Starliner are stranded. During a Friday press conference, both companies emphasized that they are utilizing the extended time to thoroughly analyze the capsule before it returns to Earth.

The astronauts will remain on the ISS for several more weeks as additional tests are conducted from the ground, although no new return date has been provided. Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, clarified, “We’re not in any rush to come home. The station is a safe place to take our time and ensure we’re ready to return.”

Engineers from Boeing and NASA will conduct remote tests on the spacecraft’s thrusters at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. These thrusters are essential for precise movements and safe docking and undocking from the ISS. The docking process had been delayed due to five malfunctioning thrusters, but engineers managed to reactivate four, allowing docking to proceed.

Since the launch on June 5, Starliner has experienced minor helium leaks, but officials assured that these are not problematic for the return journey. The leaks are in a section of the spacecraft that is sealed off while docked to the ISS. Additionally, the spacecraft has ample helium reserves for undocking and the deorbit burn.

Boeing Starliner
Image credit: BBC News

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been on the ISS for nearly three weeks, will remain during the thruster testing period. Originally, their mission was to last about a week. The landing schedule will be set after reviewing the test data, Stich explained, adding that determining the landing date depends on the completion and review of these tests.

Starliner is designed for missions lasting up to 210 days, but this demonstration mission was limited to 45 days due to battery constraints on the crew module. However, the ISS is recharging the module’s batteries, allowing for a potential mission extension. Stich noted that the risk for an extended stay remains consistent.

While the exact cause of the thruster issues is still being investigated, Stich and Mark Nappi, Boeing’s commercial crew program manager, affirmed that Starliner is safe for returning the astronauts in case of an emergency. This was demonstrated recently when the ISS crew had to shelter in their spacecraft due to a defunct Russian satellite breakup, ready to disembark if necessary.

By leveraging this extended period, NASA and Boeing aim to ensure the Starliner’s reliability and safety for future missions, learning from the current situation to improve the spacecraft’s performance.