NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were scheduled to go to the International Space Station (ISS) for a ten-day mission using the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. However, due to reliability issues, the spacecraft did not meet NASA’s standards for crewed flight. After two months of testing, NASA has decided that Starliner will return to Earth in September without astronauts on board. This will allow NASA and Boeing to closely monitor the craft as it separates from the ISS and returns home. The data gathered from this flight will inform necessary changes for Starliner to be certified for crewed flight. Wilmore and Williams will remain aboard the ISS until February 2025, replacing two upcoming Crew 9 astronauts. The future of Boeing’s role in the ISS program is uncertain as the station is only expected to operate for another 5-6 years.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has a long history of setbacks and issues. The first orbital test in 2019 ended without the craft docking with the ISS due to software defects. Although the craft was able to land safely back on Earth, these issues could have led to its destruction if not caught and corrected. A plan was laid out to address the problems, and another uncrewed test was planned for 2020. However, the pandemic and additional problems caused further delays, pushing the milestone to 2022.
On June 5, 2024, the Boeing Starliner Crewed Flight test finally launched after setbacks and delays. However, as the craft approached the ISS, some thrusters did not perform as expected, and there were leaks in the helium system. This was a concerning development as helium gas is crucial for propellant propulsion. Despite these issues, the spacecraft was able to dock with the ISS and the astronauts safely disembarked.
Since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, NASA has relied on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to send astronauts to space. The motivation behind the Commercial Crew Program was to have reliable transportation from North America at an affordable price. This led to the development of new transport vehicles through partnerships with private companies like SpaceX and Boeing. NASA has invested over $8 billion in the Commercial Crew Program to develop, test, and certify these vehicles. Unlike previous arrangements, these companies are trusted to operate the services as well. SpaceX has been successful in sending multiple crewed and uncrewed missions to the ISS, while Boeing’s Starliner has faced challenges.
Looking ahead, NASA is committed to advancing human spaceflight. In addition to SpaceX, other companies like Blue Origin, Axiom Space, Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Voyager Space have received contracts from NASA to support the Artemis program. This program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2026 and replace the ISS by 2030. However, space exploration remains challenging, and despite the investments, we are still far from becoming an interplanetary species.