Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has departed from the International Space Station (ISS) and is making its way back to Earth for a landing in the New Mexico desert. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were supposed to return to Earth on Starliner, but NASA determined the capsule was not reliable enough for a crewed mission. As a result, Williams and Wilmore will remain at the ISS for another five months and return in February aboard a SpaceX vehicle.
Despite NASA’s hesitancy, agency officials expressed confidence in Starliner’s safe landing. The spacecraft is expected to land early Saturday using parachutes to slow its fall. The landing will conclude the first crewed test flight of Starliner, which encountered troubles even before its launch in June.
Boeing will need to make improvements to Starliner to meet NASA’s standards for routine spaceflight. SpaceX, on the other hand, has been reliably transporting astronauts and supplies to the ISS since 2020.
Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth in February aboard a SpaceX Dragon vehicle. Their originally planned return on Starliner was canceled due to technical issues. During their extended stay at the ISS, the astronauts have conducted scientific experiments and routine maintenance tasks. They are expected to continue their work until their return next year.
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