Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has encountered a series of issues, including helium leaks and thruster problems, prompting the delay of the return of astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth. The original scheduled return date of June 12 has been pushed back to early July, with an approximate date of July 20. The delays have raised concerns regarding confidence in the reliability of the spacecraft and the importance of having multiple reliable options for accessing the International Space Station (ISS).

Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, currently aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, face a delayed return to Earth due to a series of technical issues. The spacecraft's initial return date of June 12 has been postponed until early July, with an approximate date of July 20.

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

Starliner's sojourn at the ISS was originally scheduled to last a week. However, a series of problems, including ongoing helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, have necessitated multiple delays in their homecoming.

"Operating in space, building these spacecraft, especially human-rated spacecraft for commercial companies, is a new endeavor that's still incredibly technical," said Makena Young, a fellow with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). "It's a really hard operating environment when things go wrong ... It's not like you can go to take it to a mechanic when you're in space."

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

Boeing stated that most of the helium leaks and thruster issues have been stabilized and are not a concern for the safe return of the spacecraft. Only one of Starliner's 27 thrusters remains offline, and four of the five that were shut down are now operating normally.

NASA has not officially scheduled a return date, but Reuters has cited a NASA source indicating a target date of July 6. According to Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP), the team is "taking their time and following their standard mission management team process."

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

The delays in Starliner's return have underscored the importance of having multiple reliable options for accessing the ISS. Boeing and SpaceX, the Elon Musk-funded company, are pivotal players in NASA's CCP, which aims to enable NASA to send astronauts and cargo to the ISS without relying on Russia.

"This is an incredibly important mission," Young emphasized. "These delays seem like a bad thing, and can erode confidence that you have in the system … but you really want to make sure that there are no questions in the back of your mind when you're saying, ‘OK, yes, this is ready to launch humans.’ They're definitely necessary."

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

While this is Boeing's first mission to transport humans to the ISS, SpaceX's Dragon craft has successfully completed several trips. Young believes that this situation highlights the need for at least two reliable options for getting to and from the ISS.

If the situation becomes a critical emergency, SpaceX would likely prepare a rescue mission with NASA, although Young believes the issues will be resolved before it reaches that level.

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

"But it's a great point to underscore as well, that these astronauts are not stranded because NASA does have this other system that is reliable and proven," she said. "That's why NASA always has a redundancy, so that if something does go wrong with one program, the other is able to easily step in."

Starliner can operate for 45 days on backup power, which will expire on July 20. If the return delays continue beyond that date, the situation may become more critical.

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

* June 5: Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore departed Earth in Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

* June 26: Boeing Starliner's scheduled return to Earth was canceled.

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

* Early July: Starliner's rescheduled return to Earth (no official date set, but Reuters reports July 6 is the target date, citing NASA sources).

* July 20: Marks 45 days since Starliner took off. The spacecraft can spend 45 days docked at the ISS.

Boeing Spacecraft Glitch Delays Return of Astronauts to Earth

* September 30: Marks 72 days of Starliner's backup power (the spacecraft can run for 72 days on backup power, according to Young).