Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft is set to return to Earth from the International Space Station on Sept.6 local time, after approximately 12 weeks in space. However, according to China News Service, two crew members will remain stranded in space until 2025.
After being stranded for several weeks, the spacecraft will finally return "uncrewed."
Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft carried two American astronauts to the International Space Station On June 5, 2024.
According to the latest news from CNN, Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft will finally return "uncrewed" from the International Space Station on Sept. 6 after about 12 weeks in space.
The spacecraft will detach from the orbital laboratory around 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Sept. 6 and is expected to land at midnight at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.
NASA also stated in a press release that the uncrewed "Starliner" spacecraft will complete a fully autonomous return journey. However, if necessary, ground teams can remotely command the spacecraft to perform essential maneuvers for safe separation and landing with the assistance of parachutes in the southwestern United States.
Meanwhile, the two American astronauts will continue to stay at the orbital laboratory, with plans to return to Earth aboard SpaceX's "Dragon" spacecraft in February 2025.
The two astronauts were originally scheduled to return on June 14, but a series of issues, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, have repeatedly delayed their return date.
The BBC reported that this means the two astronauts' originally planned 8-day "business trip" will now extend to about 8 months.
Regarding this flight mission, the Associated Press pointed out that it undoubtedly represents a significant blow to Boeing, exacerbating the safety issues that have plagued the company.
CNN also noted that the performance of the "Starliner" spacecraft during its return journey could be crucial for Boeing's future. If the spacecraft encounters an accident, or if NASA ultimately decides not to certify the vehicle for crewed spaceflight, Boeing's already damaged reputation would face further setbacks.
The New York Times reported that NASA selected Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to develop spacecraft for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Under a fixed-price contract, NASA is set to pay Boeing up to US$4.2 billion to develop the "Starliner" spacecraft, which is intended to conduct one flight annually with four crew members on board.
However, the "Starliner" development has repeatedly faced technical defects, including software failures and valve issues. The path to seeking NASA certification is fraught with uncertainty.
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