Nasa Flight Director Ed Van Cise announced that a subset of the NASA team is working closely with Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft and its crew members astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.

This collaboration aims to fine-tune the spacecraft’s systems and prepare for its upcoming departure.

The two astronauts have been aboard the Space Station for over a month as work continued on fixing several issues a glitches with the Starliner spacecraft.

Van Cise explained that the team is updating crucial software files essential for the spacecraft's operations.

These updates are part of a broader effort to ensure that all onboard systems function optimally. "We're adjusting some onboard systems to continue gathering test flight data," said Van Cise, highlighting the importance of these modifications in improving the spacecraft's performance.

In addition to software and system updates, the crew will be taking various measurements inside the Starliner’s cabin. This process is critical for assessing the spacecraft's habitability and functionality over extended periods.

The data collected will provide valuable insights into the spacecraft's long-duration performance, which is vital for planning future missions.

One of the significant advantages of this extended stay is the opportunity to observe and measure the spacecraft’s performance over a longer duration. This allows NASA to gather comprehensive data on how the Starliner behaves in space, ensuring that it can support a six-month mission. "Getting to see and measure spacecraft long duration performance prior to our first six-month mission is a considerable benefit," Van Cise noted.

The work being done now is laying the groundwork for future long-term missions, ensuring that both the spacecraft and the crew are well-prepared.

Nasa will also be conducting a press conference later to update about the potential return plans of the two astronauts, who have been in space and are currently engaged in several scientific research. 

Source: India Today