Boeing’s newest space capsule had to return to Earth on Friday without the two NASA test pilots who were originally planned to be on the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical issues.
Pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were supposed to ride on Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 Starliner, had flown to the ISS in June on NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test for various research and maintenance tasks.
The Starliner, which is designed for autonomous operation and has already completed two successful flights, is set to land in the New Mexico desert early on Sept. 7.
“Space travel is always risky, even under the safest conditions,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “A test flight is inherently risky and not routine. The decision to leave Butch and Suni on the ISS and bring back Boeing’s Starliner without crew is a testament to our commitment to safety, which is our top priority.”
The pilots will continue their work on ISS’s Expedition 71/72 until February 2025, when they will return on Space X’s Dragon spacecraft.
“Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, open discussions, and emphasis on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. “We have gained valuable insights about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and while docked. We will continue to gather data during the uncrewed return and enhance the system for future flights to the space station.”
Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, emphasized that the Starliner is a capable spacecraft and that the decision is primarily about ensuring a higher level of certainty before carrying passengers.
“The NASA and Boeing teams have conducted extensive testing and analysis, and this flight test is crucial for understanding Starliner’s performance in space,” Mr. Stitch explained. “Our efforts will aid in preparing for the uncrewed return and will greatly inform future improvements for the spacecraft.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
