Starliner to return empty without Sunita Williams on September 6
Starliner to return empty without Sunita Williams on September 6
Nasa has announced that Boeing's Starliner capsule will make its return journey to Earth without astronauts on board, including Sunita Williams, on September 6.
The decision comes after a prolonged stay at the International Space Station (ISS) and marks a significant development in the troubled spacecraft's mission.
The Starliner, which launched on June 5 for its first crewed mission, is scheduled to undock from the ISS at 3:34 am IST on September 6, weather and technical conditions permitting.
Following a six-hour descent, the capsule is expected to touch down under parachutes at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.
This uncrewed return represents a departure from the original mission plan. Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who initially flew to the ISS aboard Starliner, will remain on the station and return on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025.
The decision to bring Starliner back without its crew stems from concerns about the spacecraft's performance during its journey to the ISS. The capsule experienced helium leaks and thruster failures, raising doubts about its ability to safely transport astronauts back to Earth.
Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson emphasised the agency's commitment to safety, stating, "The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing's Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star".
Despite the setback, Nasa remains optimistic about Starliner's future. The uncrewed return will provide valuable data for engineers to analyze and improve the spacecraft's systems.
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Nasa's Space Operations Mission Directorate, noted, "We've learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We also will continue to gather more data about Starliner during the uncrewed return".
This mission marks Starliner's third landing at White Sands, following two previous uncrewed test flights.
