NASA to decide on return of Boeing Starliner crew to Earth on Saturday
NASA said Thursday it expects to announce Saturday whether the two astronauts who traveled to the International Space Station in Boeing’s malfunctioning Starliner spacecraft will need a SpaceX vehicle to return to Earth.
“NASA’s decision on whether to return Starliner to Earth with astronauts on board is not expected until Saturday, August 24, after completion of an agency-level review,” the space agency said in a statement.
Starliner launched its first two astronauts into space in June as a crucial test before it can receive NASA approval for routine flights. But what was supposed to be an eight-day mission docked with the ISS has been delayed for months after the capsule leaked and some of its thrusters failed.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will attend the agency-level review, the statement said. Boeing has spent months trying to assuage NASA’s fears about the Starliner problems with new test data that the company says confirms the spacecraft’s safety for astronauts.
NASA is weighing these data against the low-risk nature of the mission, one of four Starliner flights since 2019 that have suffered accidents.
The agency has prepared a backup plan to make two seats available for SpaceX’s upcoming Crew Dragon mission, which could be used by the Starliner crew — veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
If NASA implements the SpaceX contingency plan, Wilmore and Williams would not return to Earth until after the mission ends in February 2025, and Starliner would attempt to return to Earth empty.
If NASA decides that Starliner is safe for the astronauts, the capsule will fly them home much sooner, probably within a month, freeing up the ISS port for the SpaceX mission.
NASA’s pending decision is a nerve-wracking moment for Boeing, which has struggled to develop Starliner and compete with SpaceX’s similar but more experienced Crew Dragon. Boeing has incurred losses of $1.6 billion (roughly Rs. 13,419 crore) on the Starliner program, securities filings show.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
