Engineers are preparing to begin ground tests to examine thruster problems on Starliner.
Tl;dr
- Tests are being carried out on NASA and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
- Astronauts not ‘stuck’ on ISS, officials say
- No return date has been set; ground tests have priority.
- Starliner could serve as a lifeboat in an emergency.
Tests on the Starliner to resolve the problems encountered
NASA and Boeing are busy conducting a series of tests on the Starliner spacecraft, which is currently docked with the International Space Station (ISS). This is due to problems with the spacecraft’s thrusters, including five are defective and a helium leak that appears to be getting worse.
Astronauts are not “stuck” on the International Space Station
Yet at a press conference Friday afternoon, Steve Stich, director of NASA’s commercial crew program, insisted that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are not “stuck” on the ISS.
No return date set, ground tests have priority
Rather than set a date for the return flight, NASA and Boeing have opted to wait until ground testing and analysis are complete. The first tests of the boosters, which are scheduled to begin at the White Sands Missile Range test facility in New Mexico, are scheduled to begin next Tuesday.
Opening the possibility of using Starliner in case of emergency
Despite the problems that have arisen, the Starliner continues to function properly while docked. In an emergency, the vessel could be used as a “rescue boat“to bring the astronauts back to Earth,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and director of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “We’re not stuck on the ISS, the crew is not in danger, and there’s no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth,” he concluded.
