Astronauts Maintain Confidence
Originally set for a brief stay, their return has been pushed back. During a live press call from the station, mission commander Wilmore responded to inquiries about their confidence in the Starliner team and spacecraft, stating, “We’re absolutely confident.” Williams added, “I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem.”Ongoing Work and Unresolved Issues
Engineers are currently working to resolve the issues before the astronauts can return. Ground simulations are being conducted to understand the root causes of the technical problems and to modify the flight plan if necessary. The spacecraft had a known helium leak before launch, and additional leaks emerged during the flight. Helium is critical as it provides pressure to the propulsion system.
Further complications arose when some of Starliner’s thrusters, essential for fine maneuvering, initially failed to engage during its approach to the station, delaying docking. Engineers are still investigating why the craft’s computer “deselected” these thrusters, though all but one were later restarted. Boeing executive Mark Nappi mentioned that the “working theory” for the malfunctioning thrusters was overheating due to excessive firing.
Assurances and Emergency Plans
Despite these challenges, NASA and Boeing maintain that Starliner could return safely in an emergency, especially since the problems only affect the thrusters controlling orientation. They are not concerned about the more powerful thrusters responsible for the “deorbit burn” that will bring the spaceship back. NASA official Steve Stich stated, “The prime option today is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner,” while acknowledging that a return flight on SpaceX Crew Dragon is a backup option if necessary.
The Starliner mission is part of NASA’s effort to certify new spacecraft for crewed missions following the retirement of the Space Shuttle program. In 2014, both SpaceX and Boeing were awarded multibillion-dollar contracts to develop these crewed vehicles. SpaceX conducted a successful crewed test in 2020 and has since flown dozens of people. Boeing’s Starliner, however, has faced several setbacks.
Astronauts’ Activities on the ISS
While awaiting their return, Wilmore and Williams are busy aboard the ISS. They are performing various tasks, such as changing the pump on a machine that recycles urine into drinking water and conducting gene sequencing experiments in the microgravity environment. They have also tested Starliner as a “safe haven” vehicle in case of problems aboard the ISS and evaluated its life support system when accommodating four people.
(With inputs from agencies)