Boeing's Starliner: A Perilous Journey Back to Earth

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, facing a myriad of technical issues, undocked from the International Space Station after a prolonged test mission. NASA astronauts who initially flew the spacecraft will return later on a SpaceX vehicle, as Starliner embarks on an unmanned trip to Earth, crucial for its maneuvering capability testing.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, marking the end of its complex and problem-laden test mission without its initial crew of U.S. astronauts. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who first flew Starliner in June, stayed on the ISS with seven others as the spacecraft autonomously began its return journey to Earth at 6:04 p.m. ET (2204 GMT).

The originally eight-day test became an eight-month ordeal due to propulsion system issues, ultimately delaying Wilmore and Williams' return to Earth to February 2025 via a SpaceX vehicle. The test mission's prolonged nature led Boeing engineers to upload new software, allowing the spacecraft to undertake the return trip unmanned, effectively testing its maneuvering capabilities.

Technical failures have plagued Starliner, including the malfunction of five out of 28 thrusters and helium leaks that pressurize them. The subsequent months-long investigation cost Boeing $125 million, pushing total cost overruns on the Starliner program to above $1.6 billion since 2016. Despite these setbacks, Boeing aims to recover the Starliner capsule post touchdown in New Mexico and continue investigating the thruster failure, with simulated tests compensating for the detachment and atmospheric burn-up of the service module.

(With inputs from agencies.)