Who could have expected this to happen?
ISS stranded
It appears that Boeing’s Starliner needed a minor miracle to reach the International Space Station safely, but the company isn’t out of the woods yet.
Yes, the spacecraft that ran into trouble earlier this month has finally made it to its orbital base, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
But the journey was not without problems. Five Various helium leaks affecting Starliner’s thruster systems.
Last week, NASA announced it was giving Boeing four more days to investigate the return of Wilmore and Williams.
Now, as Boeing engineers struggle to understand the capsule’s condition, the space agency has decided to extend its stay for a second time. CNN Reports It’s yet another sign that the aerospace giant’s cursed spacecraft is still a long way from making regular visits to the ISS on NASA’s behalf.
Long Way Home
The original plan was for Wilmore and Williams to stay aboard the space station for about a week, but NASA later announced they wouldn’t return until at least June 26, meaning their stay will be at least three weeks longer than planned.
During launch earlier this month, engineers discovered a helium leak affecting the thruster system that helps Starliner adjust its orbit. The first attempt to dock with the ISS failed due to a thruster failure. Maintain your position It’s located about 850 feet from the space station.
At the time, officials told media that the capsule was filled with about 10 times the amount of helium needed for space travel.
NASA remains optimistic: Steve Stich, the agency’s commercial crew program manager, told reporters on Tuesday that there’s no reason to believe Starliner won’t return safely, but “we really want to work through the remaining data.” CNN.
But Starliner still has a lot to prove: On the return journey, it will heat up significantly upon re-entry, and Boeing’s planned parachute system would slow its descent over the New Mexico desert. A redesign was forced Last year, there were safety concerns.
That means Boeing’s first manned test flight has little confidence so far, and there’s still a good chance things could go wrong.
Situation details: Boeing Starliner trapped on space station after more leaks discovered