Boeing Starliner set to return to earth on September 6 without astronauts onboard
After facing technical issues during its mission, the Boeing Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth without astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
FollowCalifornia: Boeing's Starliner spacecraft's return to Earth has been finalized after a long period of uncertainty. NASA has announced that the Starliner spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station on September 6th without any passengers.
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was launched into space on June 5, 2024, carrying Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. This mission was named 'Crew Flight Test'. However, a helium leak and malfunctioning thrusters during the journey put the spacecraft in a dangerous situation. The Starliner spacecraft docked with the ISS, carrying Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, in a very risky maneuver. Sunita and Butch, who were at the International Space Station for a short eight-day mission, were unable to return to Earth on the Starliner as previously planned. Attempts to resolve the technical issues in the spacecraft were unsuccessful. As a result, the Starliner spacecraft has been docked at the ISS for three months.
Although there were attempts to bring Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth on the Starliner spacecraft, Boeing and NASA backed down from this due to the extremely dangerous situation. This led to the decision to land the Starliner back on Earth without any crew. Sunita and Butch's return journey has also been postponed to February 2025. SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will bring both of them back to Earth.
The Starliner spacecraft, which will undock from the International Space Station on September 6, will land on Earth six hours later. White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico has been identified as the landing site for the spacecraft.
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