Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is marking its comeback with an uncrewed mission scheduled to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on September 6, 2023. The undocking is set for 6:04 PM ET, contingent on favourable weather conditions.
The landing is planned at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, approximately at 12:03 AM ET on September 7. The Starliner will rely on parachutes and inflated airbags to ensure a safe descent.
This flight of the Starliner will be fully autonomous, although ground teams at Starliner Mission Control in Houston and at Boeing Mission Control Center in Florida are ready to intervene remotely if necessary.
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The autonomy of the Starliner in this operation underscores the robustness of its design, even as it goes through this crucial phase.
Nasa decided against using Starliner for the return of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who headed to the ISS on the Starliner’s first crewed mission.
The decision came after testing revealed failures in five of the spacecraft’s maneuvering thrusters and an aggravated helium leak problem.
Given the uncertainties around the Starliner’s thrusters, NASA opted to bring Wilmore and Williams back on a SpaceX Crew Dragon instead, prioritizing their safety.
NASA will provide live coverage of the Starliner’s return through NASA TV, the NASA app, and its website. The SpaceX Crew-9 mission, slated to replace the Boeing vehicle on the ISS, is scheduled for launch no earlier than September 24.
This mission aims to transport NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, leaving two seats empty for the return journey of Wilmore and Williams in February 2025.
