After months of turmoil over its safety, Boeing’s new astronaut capsule departed the International Space Station on Friday without its crew and headed back to Earth.
In this image from video provided by NASA, the unmanned Boeing Starliner capsule fires its thrusters as it pulls away from the International Space Station on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. undocked 260 miles over China, springs gently pushing it away from the orbiting laboratory. The return flight was expected to take six hours, with a nighttime touchdown in the New Mexico desert.Williams and Butch Wilmore should have flown Starliner back to Earth in June, a week after launching in it.
SpaceX’s crew ferry flight later this month will be its 10th for NASA since 2020. The Dragon capsule will launch on the half-year expedition with only two astronauts since two seats are reserved for Wilmore and Williams for the return leg. Even before the pair launched on June 5, Starliner’s propulsion system was leaking helium. The leak was small and thought to be isolated, but four more cropped up after liftoff. Then five thrusters failed. Although four of the thrusters were recovered, it gave NASA pause as to whether more malfunctions might hamper the capsule’s descent from orbit.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NASA still doesn’t know what to do with Starliner astronauts stuck in spaceNASA is currently working on a backup plan to bring astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore home; it could see them stay at the ISS until February 2025.
Read more »
NASA's Plan B: Why SpaceX Could Finish Boeing’s Starliner MissionTwo astronauts who flew to the International Space Station on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft may return to Earth next year on a SpaceX vehicle. WSJ explores...
Read more »
SpaceX to return Boeing’s Starliner astronauts from space next year, NASA saysNASA says Boeing’s Starlinerr’s propulsion system too risky to carry its first crew home after series of glitches following take-off
Read more »
SpaceX to return Boeing's Starliner astronauts from space next year, NASA saysTwo NASA astronauts who flew to the International Space Station in June aboard Boeing's BA.N faulty Starliner capsule will need to return to Earth on a SpaceX vehicle early next year, NASA said on Saturday, deeming issues with Starliner's propulsion system too risky to carry its first crew home.
Read more »
NASA: Starliner Astronauts Expected to Remain in ISS Until Early 2025NASA said astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams will return from the International Space Station early next year with a SpaceX craft instead of the...
Read more »
What the two Boeing Starliner astronauts will do in space until 2025When astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore left Earth for International Space Station nearly three months ago, they ditched their bags for a key piece of equipment.
Read more »