The Boeing Starliner’s return from the International Space Station carrying its first crew of astronauts has been put back to June 26, according to a NASA official on Tuesday.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams flew aboard Starliner on June 5 and arrived at the International Space Station after a 24-hour voyage that included four helium leaks and five maneuvering thruster failures.
The Starliner’s first flight with astronauts is a key last test for a long-delayed and overbudget program. NASA must authorize the spacecraft for regular astronaut missions and add a second US crew vehicle to its fleet, besides SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
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NASA plans on leaving no earlier than June 26, providing room for more time on the ISS. While the Starliner is built for future six-month missions, it can only stay attached to the ISS for 45 days on its present mission.
The Boeing Starliner’s return to Earth is estimated to take about six hours and will target a spot in the Utah desert, New Mexico, or other backup destinations, depending on the local weather.
The current in-flight issues come after years of other hurdles for Boeing’s Starliner, including a 2019 uncrewed trial failure in which dozens of software errors, design flaws, and management issues prevented the aircraft from docking with the International Space Station.
A 2022 repeat uncrewed trial resulted in successful docking.
