Boeing is set to bring back its troubled capsule from the International Space Station (ISS) with empty seats later this week. NASA has confirmed that the Starliner capsule will undock from the ISS on Friday evening and aim for a touchdown at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range six hours later.
The two NASA astronauts who flew up on Starliner will not return with the capsule. They will stay behind at the ISS and return home with SpaceX in February after facing delays caused by thruster issues and helium leaks.
Boeing encountered problems with the Starliner capsule even before its launch on June 5. The first test flight in 2019 was unsuccessful due to software errors, leading to further delays and repairs costing over $1 billion.
Despite the challenges, Starliner will make a faster getaway from the ISS using springs and short thruster firings. Additional test firings of the thrusters are planned before the descent from orbit.
The stuck astronauts, now full-time ISS crew members, are dedicated to the success of human spaceflight. Their blue Boeing spacesuits will return with the capsule along with some old station equipment.
NASA had contracted Boeing and SpaceX to transport astronauts to and from the ISS after the retirement of the shuttle program. SpaceX has successfully completed multiple crew missions for NASA and private customers.
By Marcia Dunn
