Fri Sep 13 11:47:58 UTC 2024: ## Boeing’s Starliner Returns to Earth, Leaving Astronauts Behind
**White Sands Missile Range, NM -** After a three-month delay and a string of technical issues, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully landed in New Mexico on Saturday, marking the end of the 10-day Crew Flight Test (CFT). While the mission was uncrewed, NASA officials confirmed that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were originally slated to fly on the mission, could have safely returned onboard.
Despite experiencing thruster issues during its initial ascent to the International Space Station (ISS), Starliner’s landing was executed flawlessly, following the planned deorbit burn and entry trajectory. “If we’d have had a crew on board the spacecraft, we would have followed the same back away sequence from the space station… And so it would have been a safe, successful landing with the crew on board,” stated Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
However, the discovery of thruster problems prompted NASA to postpone the crewed return, leading to a lengthy stay for Wilmore and Williams on the ISS. The duo, initially set to return after a week in space, will now spend ten months on the station, traveling home on a SpaceX Crew Dragon mission in February.
The future of the Starliner program remains uncertain, with its initial six-month crew rotation missions to the ISS now pushed back to August 2025. Boeing will review data from the CFT and determine the next steps for the program.
“I want to recognize the work the Starliner teams did to ensure a successful and safe undocking, deorbit, re-entry and landing,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “We will review the data and determine the next steps for the program.”
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