What's happened
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft successfully landed in New Mexico on September 6, 2024, after a test mission that faced technical issues. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remain aboard the ISS, expected to return in February 2025 due to safety concerns with the spacecraft.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Al Jazeera, the Starliner landed successfully but left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded at the ISS due to safety concerns. Business Insider UK noted that the mission was intended to validate the spacecraft's operational capabilities, but technical issues led to an extended stay for the astronauts. Axios emphasized the importance of safety in NASA's decision-making process, stating that the agency prioritized returning Starliner uncrewed to ensure crew safety.
How we got here
The Starliner launched on June 5, 2024, as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks, prompted NASA to prioritize safety and return the spacecraft uncrewed.
More on these topics
-
Boeing Starliner is a class of reusable crew capsules expected to transport crew to the International Space Station and to private space stations such as the proposed Bigelow Aerospace Commercial Space Station.
-
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.
-
White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH) is a spaceport in New Mexico that was formerly used as a Space Shuttle runway, a test site for rocket research, and the primary training area used by NASA for Space Shuttle pilots practicing approaches and landings in the..