NASA has announced that it, alongside Boeing, is conducting a thorough evaluation of the Starliner spacecraft's propulsion system. This assessment comes as the Starliner remains in orbit, awaiting its return from the International Space Station (ISS).
The originally scheduled return date of June 26 has been postponed, following an initial delay from June 14. Last week, NASA decided to further delay the Starliner's return to allow for additional technical reviews, ensuring the spacecraft meets all safety and performance standards.
The Boeing Starliner, carrying U.S. astronauts Barry \"Butch\" Wilmore and Sunita \"Suni\" Williams, was launched on June 5 as a final demonstration mission aimed at securing routine flight certification from NASA. This certification is a crucial step for Starliner to become the second U.S. spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS, complementing SpaceX's Crew Dragon, which has been the primary vehicle since 2020.
Reference(s):
NASA, Boeing assessing performance of Starliner's propulsion system
cgtn.com