For ads-free news, click here.
The Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which launched with astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore over three months ago, returned to Earth without them due to persistent technical issues.
NASA and Boeing opted to leave the astronauts on the International Space Station, deciding against using the Starliner for their return due to safety concerns and that attempting to return Williams and Wilmore to Earth on the Starliner spacecraft would have posed too many risks.
The spacecraft successfully landed in New Mexico on Saturday, marking a significant but troubled milestone in space travel.
“Even though it was necessary to return the spacecraft uncrewed, NASA and Boeing learned an incredible amount about Starliner in the most extreme environment possible,” Ken Bowersox, an official at NASA, according to a Daily Caller report.
NASA and Boeing welcomed #Starliner back to Earth at 12:01am ET (0401 UTC) on Saturday, Sept. 7, following the uncrewed spacecraft’s landing in New Mexico—concluding its flight test to the @Space_Station: https://t.co/rOrGmEZtgP pic.twitter.com/LUqnGfuDME
— NASA (@NASA) September 7, 2024
According to The Washington Post, two Boeing executives were anticipated at a NASA press conference on Saturday but did not attend, with no explanation provided by Boeing for their absence.
The Boeing Starliner, launched in June to test crewed operations, experienced thruster failures and helium leaks, stranding astronauts Williams and Wilmore on the ISS. They are set to return to Earth in February 2025 via a SpaceX mission.
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
