After being forced to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) for three months due to malfunctions, Boeing’s “Starliner” spacecraft finally landed at White Sands Spaceport in New Mexico on September 7, marking the end of the controversial first crewed flight test for the spacecraft. NASA stated that it is still “too early” to decide when the spacecraft will be allowed to carry astronauts again. CNN commented that if NASA ultimately decides not to grant the spacecraft certification for crewed flights, it would deal another severe blow to Boeing’s already damaged reputation and result in significant financial losses for the company.
Landing Performance “Outstanding”
According to CNN, although the “Starliner” has landed safely in the designated area, its future remains uncertain. The spacecraft began its first crewed flight test in June, successfully launching and sending two American astronauts to the ISS. However, a series of issues during the flight remained unresolved, leading NASA to judge that the spacecraft was “unsuitable for bringing astronauts back to Earth.” The two astronauts stranded in space will return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon next February, while the “Starliner” completed its return and autonomous landing without passengers.
Space.com reported that one of the main concerns was whether the “Starliner’s” attitude control thrusters would safely detach it from the ISS. Five of the spacecraft’s 28 attitude control thrusters malfunctioned during the docking process, and this issue had yet to be fully resolved. If similar problems occurred during the detachment from the ISS, it could lead to a space collision and endanger the ISS’s safety. Moreover, the spacecraft lacked the ability to detach from the ISS and return to Earth on its own, requiring Boeing to urgently update the software remotely. These factors raised concerns about the “Starliner’s” ability to complete its autonomous landing.
At around 6:00 p.m. EST on September 6, the “Starliner” initiated its detachment process. After the docking mechanism unlocked, the spacecraft slowly moved away from the ISS. About 90 seconds later, the attitude control thrusters fired multiple times to propel the spacecraft away. NASA revealed that this process was slightly different from that of crewed spacecraft, which typically remain near the ISS for a longer time after detachment. Once the “Starliner” reached a safe distance, additional tests were conducted on the thrusters to gather more data for NASA and Boeing in their search for the malfunction causes.
During the approximately six-hour journey back to Earth, the “Starliner” successfully completed its orbital descent, separation of the return module from the service module, re-entry into the atmosphere, parachute deployment, and eventual landing in the designated zone, with the overall process going smoothly.
Cooling the Thrusters Becomes a Top Priority
Space.com stated that the “Starliner” had initially planned to schedule its first commercial crewed flight for August 2025 after completing this crewed flight test. However, this schedule is now likely to be delayed. Stick, NASA’s head of the Commercial Crew Program, said it is too early to discuss whether the “Starliner” will carry astronauts again next year. He mentioned that NASA needs time to analyze the data and assess what design and operational changes are necessary for the spacecraft. “I believe we’ll have a clearer picture of the timeline in about a month.”
Previous reports have identified several issues exposed during the “Starliner’s” crewed flight test, including multiple helium leaks, thruster valve malfunctions, and attitude control thruster failures. The spacecraft also missed its docking window with the ISS, forcing the astronauts to manually complete the docking. Stick had previously commented that identifying the causes of these malfunctions was complex, “as the helium leak and thruster issues are intertwined.” Since the malfunctioning equipment was located in the spacecraft’s service module, which separated and burned up in the atmosphere during landing, it is difficult for NASA and Boeing to pinpoint the exact cause.
NASA suggested that the issues might be related to overheating, as frequent use of the attitude control thrusters and their improper placement contributed to the problem. These thrusters are located within protective structures around the spacecraft’s service module, referred to as “doghouses.” Ground tests revealed that the heat generated by the thrusters could accumulate like in a thermos, causing seals to expand, hindering fuel flow, and leading to helium leaks, as well as automatic shutdown due to overheating. Stick stated that NASA and Boeing’s next step would focus on addressing the thruster overheating issue and finding solutions. “We need to conduct actual tests on the thrusters at White Sands to fully understand the ignition sequence that leads to overheating, and then find ways to reduce the thruster ignition frequency.” He added that the engineering team would also study how to modify the insulation around the “doghouses” to help lower the temperature of the thrusters.
However, analysts warned that if these improvements fail to meet expectations, Boeing may need to redesign the entire spacecraft and reapply for an additional crewed flight test, which would require significant time and financial resources.
Uncertain Future
The BBC noted that only NASA officials were present at the September 7 press conference following the “Starliner’s” landing, with Boeing representatives absent. When asked about their absence, NASA officials explained that Boeing had decided to allow NASA to represent them fully. Boeing released a statement recognizing the “Starliner” team for ensuring the spacecraft’s successful and safe undocking, deorbiting, re-entry, and landing. The company stated that it would review the data and determine the next steps for the program. NASA officials admitted that there had been “tensions” between Boeing and NASA regarding the decision not to allow astronauts to return to Earth aboard the “Starliner,” with Boeing insisting that the spacecraft could safely transport the two astronauts, while NASA remained uneasy.
CNN reported that the difficulties encountered during the “Starliner’s” first crewed flight test had dealt a severe blow to Boeing, which has already suffered significant reputational and financial damage following recent commercial aviation incidents and two fatal crashes several years ago. NASA had originally planned to use both SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing’s “Starliner” to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. So far, the Crew Dragon has completed nine crewed flights for NASA, as well as some commercial missions, while the “Starliner’s” two previous uncrewed flight tests revealed numerous issues. Boeing has already lost over $1 billion on the project. With the ISS set to retire by 2030, further delays in the “Starliner’s” testing may render the spacecraft obsolete by the time it is ready for service.
NASA maintains its commitment to ensuring redundancy by having two different spacecraft in service, in case one fails. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has made it clear: “There is a 100% certainty that the ‘Starliner’ will fly astronauts again.”
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