NASA delays the return of Boeing’s Starliner again

Boeing’s Starliner is stuck at the International Space Station, for now.
The two astronauts on board arrived at the ISS on June 6 and were scheduled to spend eight days in space.
NASA and Boeing announced Friday that their return date has been pushed back again.
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The return of two astronauts aboard the Starliner, Boeing’s first crewed commercial spacecraft, was delayed again by NASA.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6 after a series of delays that postponed the launch of the spacecraft for a month.

Originally, astronauts were supposed to remain docked in space for eight to 10 days, according to a June 6 Boeing statement.

But 12 days after the crew arrived at the ISS, Boeing announced that its return to White Sands Spaceport in New Mexico had been delayed until June 26.

On Friday, the aviation company said the return had been delayed again to evaluate problems on board and to make time for two spacewalks. The delay came after five helium leaks were detected aboard the spacecraft. The helium supports the thrusters of the ship’s reaction control system, allowing them to ignite.

“Mission managers are evaluating future return opportunities following the station’s two scheduled spacewalks, Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, July 2,” Boeing said in its statement.

Boeing has also not provided a new scheduled date for the astronauts’ return.

“We are taking our time and following our standard mission control team process,” Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said in the statement.

But the statement also said the crew was “in no hurry to leave the station,” as there were “sufficient supplies in orbit.”

The trip to the ISS is not the first time in space for Wilmore or Williams.

Williams, who was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998, has spent a total of 322 days in space prior to the Starliner project. And Wilmore, who has been a NASA astronaut since 2000, logged 178 days in space before the Starliner launch.

Boeing in the new space race

This is the first time Boeing has sent a manned spacecraft in an attempt to enter the commercial manned spaceflight business. But the company is now lagging behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has been sending astronauts to space since 2020.

Boeing and SpaceX were the two American companies selected by NASA in 2014 to explore commercial space transportation.

Before the Starliner launch, Musk told X in May that Boeing was burdened by “too many non-technical managers.”

On Earth, Boeing has also been plagued by aircraft problems in recent months. In January, a door plug broke off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 at nearly 5,000 meters; this resulted in a large hole in the plane.

Several Boeing whistleblowers have come forward with explosive testimony alleging the company cut rules in quality control.

Boeing and NASA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider regarding the return of the Starliner conducted outside of normal business hours.

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