On August 30th, according to foreign media reports, after flying in space for about 12 weeks, Boeing's "Starliner" spacecraft will finally return to Earth from the International Space Station on September 6th local time. However, the two crew members are still trapped in space and are not expected to return until 2025.
CNN (Cable News Network)
After being stranded for several weeks, the spacecraft finally returned empty handed
On June 5, 2024, the Boeing StarCraft spacecraft carried two American astronauts to the International Space Station.
According to the latest news from CNN, after flying in space for about 12 weeks, Boeing's "StarCraft" spacecraft will finally return empty from the International Space Station on September 6th local time.
According to reports, the spacecraft will detach from the orbital laboratory around 6pm Eastern Time on September 6th and finally land at White Sands Spaceport in New Mexico around midnight.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also stated in a statement that the unmanned "StarCraft" spacecraft will complete a fully autonomous return journey. However, if necessary, ground teams can remotely command spacecraft to perform necessary maneuvers to safely disengage from docking and land in the southwestern United States with the help of parachutes.
Meanwhile, two American astronauts will continue to stay in the orbiting laboratory and are expected to return to Earth in February 2025 aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. According to the plan, the two astronauts were supposed to return to Earth on June 14th, but they encountered a series of problems such as propulsion failures and helium leaks, causing the return date to be repeatedly postponed.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) stated that this means that the originally 8-day "business trip" task for the two will become approximately 8 months.
Associated Press
Malfunctions keep happening! Boeing is hit again
The Associated Press pointed out that this flight mission undoubtedly dealt a significant blow to Boeing and exacerbated the aircraft safety issues that plagued the company.
CNN also pointed out that the performance of the StarCraft spacecraft on its return journey may be crucial for Boeing's future. If a spacecraft accident occurs, or if NASA ultimately decides not to certify the spacecraft for manned spaceflight, Boeing's already damaged reputation will be dealt another heavy blow.
The New York Times also reported that NASA chose Boeing and SpaceX to develop spacecraft in 2014 to transport astronauts from the International Space Station. According to a fixed price contract, NASA will pay Boeing up to $4.2 billion to develop the "StarCraft" spacecraft, which will then conduct an annual flight carrying four crew members into orbit.
However, the development of the "StarCraft" spacecraft has repeatedly encountered technical defects, including software failures, valve issues, and so on. The path of seeking NASA certification is full of uncertainty.