Starliner: Return Date Now 2025

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Boeing’s Starliner capsule viewed from the ISS. (ESA)

I did not think it could get worse, but it has. NASA has announced that Boeing’s Starliner capsule attached to the International Space Station (ISS) might not return until next year, making it an unwanted appendage on a busy space station.

At a press conference today, NASA discussed leaving the two Boeing astronauts on the ISS until February 2025 and cutting in half the planned crew for the September 24 SpaceX Dragon mission. This would keep the number of astronauts on the space station to its normal number. There was also discussion about bringing the Boeing astronauts back on another capsule if the Starliner was not ready.

This looks bad for Boeing and NASA’s commercial space efforts. Boeing does not agree with NASA’s assessment, stating in an August 2 mission update:

Boeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew. We continue to support NASA’s requests for additional testing, data, analysis and reviews to affirm the spacecraft’s safe undocking and landing capabilities. Our confidence is based on this abundance of valuable testing from Boeing and NASA. The testing has confirmed 27 of 28 RCS thrusters are healthy and back to full operational capability. Starliner’s propulsion system also maintains redundancy and the helium levels remain stable. The data also supports root cause assessments for the helium and thruster issues and flight rationale for Starliner and its crew’s return to Earth.

All of this is happening while the ISS crew are unloading supplies from a recently arrived Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo capsule launched over the weekend. It does make you wonder whether Grumman should be the next best hope for a crewed capsule rather than Boeing. Grumman has a proven track record of more than 20 resupply runs. Clearly, crewed capsule are different, but it is something to consider.

Sierra Space is also testing its Dream Chaser next month, which is also expected to make cargo runs to the ISS. It this another potential crew option down the road?

The purpose of commercial involvement was greater options. Let’s work on expanding those options as quickly as possible. Placing all of our eggs in the Elon Musk SpaceX basket makes me nervous as he calls for civil war in the United Kingdom.