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The first astronaut mission for Boeing’s Starliner capsule has been extended again.
Starliner will remain docked with the International Space Station (ISS) until at least July 2, about a week later than the previously announced target date of June 26. The additional time will allow Boeing and NASA more time to evaluate the many issues that have arisen with the vehicle.
“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, said at a news conference. Updated Friday evening (June 21).
“We are letting the data drive our decision-making process regarding managing the small leaks in the helium system and the propulsion performance we observed during rendezvous and docking,” he added.
The current Starliner mission, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT), sent NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams to the International Space Station. The CFT was launched on June 5 and arrived at the orbiting laboratory the next day.
But, as Stitch noted, the arrival wasn’t entirely smooth. During its chase to the International Space Station, the Starliner experienced problems with five of its 28 reaction control systems (RCS) thrusters. Four of them were eventually brought back online.
In addition, CFT team members observed five small helium leaks in the Starliner’s propulsion system. One was spotted before launch but was not considered a serious problem; Four of them appeared after the capsule was launched from its United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
Starliner was initially scheduled to spend about a week on the International Space Station on this cruise. But on June 9, NASA and Boeing announced that the departure date had been postponed to no later than June 18, to accommodate NASA’s planned June 13 flight at the International Space Station and to allow more time for inspection of the Starliner.
Then, on Tuesday (June 18), the scheduled departure was changed again to June 26. The logic was similar: additional time would allow for a more detailed assessment of helium leaks and RCS propulsion system issues. There’s still spacewalking to absorb; The flight, scheduled for June 13, was postponed to June 24, after one of the designated astronauts felt discomfort with his suit.
NASA is planning another spacewalk on July 2, and also wants that activity to take place before the Starliner returns to Earth, agency officials said in an update on Friday.
The repeated CFT extensions are nothing to worry about, Stich said, stressing that NASA still has confidence in Starliner.
“The Starliner performed well in orbit while attached to the space station,” Stitch said. “We are using the additional time strategically to set the stage for some important station activities while also completing preparation for Butch and Sonny’s return aboard the Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.”
The certification includes allowing Starliner to fly six-month astronaut missions to the International Space Station for NASA. SpaceX already conducts those flights using its Crew Dragon capsule; Elon Musk’s company is in the middle of its eighth contracted long-duration crewed mission.
“The crew does not have time to leave the station because there are so many supplies in orbit, and the station’s schedule is relatively open until mid-August,” NASA officials said in the update issued Friday.
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