Astronauts’ Boeing Starliner return postponed again

NASA has again postponed the return date of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who went to the International Space Station (ISS) with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Although the planned return date was June 14, the return date was once again postponed to avoid conflicts with various technical inspections and spacewalks. NASA officials have not set an exact date for the return of the astronauts.

Boeing Starliner launched on June 5, delivering astronauts Wilmore and Williams to the ISS a day later. This mission was originally planned to last only a week. However, during the flight, four other small helium leaks occurred in the propulsion system, in addition to the one leak detected before launch. Additionally, five of the 28 thrusters were disabled while trying to dock with the ISS on June 6. Boeing was able to get four of them operational again. A few days after the launch, NASA announced that a valve in the service module did not close completely and that teams were investigating this problem.

NASA had postponed the return date several times in the last week. The last date was set for June 26, but this date was postponed again due to the space walks to be held on June 24 and July 2. “We shape our decisions by evaluating data on minor helium system leaks and thruster performance observed during docking,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager. said.

Boeing Starliner’s performance and future plans

In addition, Stich said, “Starliner performs well in orbit after docking with the space station. We’re using the extra time strategically to clear the way for some critical station activities and finalize preparations for Butch and Suni’s return. “In this process, we gain valuable information on system upgrades for post-certification missions.” he said.

The first manned flight of the Boeing Starliner was a long-awaited mission. However, technical problems encountered and investigations caused the return date to be constantly postponed. This situation is of great importance for both NASA and Boeing because it is of critical importance to resolve such technical glitches for future manned missions.

As a result, the return date for astronauts Wilmore and Williams remains uncertain. NASA will set a new date for return after the technical problems are resolved and other critical activities on the space station are completed. In this process, both institutions aim to complete their return preparations in the best possible way, keeping security at the forefront.