In the photo, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is docked at the International Space Station.
NASA
NASA confirmed on Thursday that Boeing’s Starliner crewed spacecraft will be docked with the International Space Station until August, as the mission remains on hold as the company and agencies study early problems with the flight. state.
The Starliner capsule “Calypso” carries NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station. It has stayed in space for 50 days and counting. Boeing’s crew flight tests have been extended multiple times while NASA conducts tests on the ground before clearing the spacecraft to bring the two astronauts back to Earth.
NASA Commercial Crew Finance Steve Stich said at a news conference Thursday that the agency is not prepared to set a return date.
“We are making tremendous progress, but we are not ready yet,” Stich said.
Stitch said NASA needs to conduct a review, which won’t happen until the first week of August, and only after that review will the agency schedule Starliner’s return.
The indefinite extension of Starliner’s flight testing is difficult to place alongside other human spaceflights due to the unique circumstances and evolving nature of the mission. Any manned spaceflight will face heightened risks and scrutiny. Initially, Calypso was expected to stay in space for at least nine days before returning.
“I think we all knew it was going to last longer. We didn’t spend a lot of time talking about how much longer it was going to be, but I think I regret that we didn’t just say we were going to stay there until we accomplished all the things we wanted to do. ,” Stich said Thursday.
Leadership at NASA and Boeing have repeatedly stressed that Wilmore and Williams “are not stranded in space.” Officials have previously said Starliner can return safely if an emergency occurs, and the two astronauts are enjoying the extra time aboard the International Space Station while assisting other ISS crew members with their missions.
Boeing and NASA earlier this month began testing the spacecraft’s failed propulsion system on the ground in White Sands, New Mexico.
Stich and Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president of Starliner programs, outlined the next steps that must be completed before deciding when to resume Starliner.
On Thursday, Boeing was nearing completion of the dissection of a thruster being tested in New Mexico. NASA and Boeing will hold a mission management meeting Thursday afternoon to plan the docking test launch, which is expected to take place on Saturday or Sunday. Then, on Monday or Tuesday, Stich said, the teams will conduct a “comprehensive evaluation of all the data” from the docking test and then “conduct a review with (NASA) leadership” before a final grand review, also known as an agency review. Some important education.” Flight test readiness review. ”
Stitch also admitted again NASA has an emergency response plan If the agency determines Starliner should return without Wilmore and Williams, alternatives include using SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to bring back NASA astronauts.
“NASA always has contingency options. We know a little bit about those options, we haven’t done a lot of research on them, but we kind of know what they are,” Stich said. “Now we’re really focused on bringing Butch and Suny back to Starliner.”
