NASA continues to scrutinize Boeing’s Starliner capsule during its inaugural astronaut mission, addressing potential impacts of helium leaks and other anomalies.
Launched on June 5, the Starliner carried NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission. Initially slated to dock at the ISS for a week, NASA extended the mission until at least June 18. This extension allows ISS astronauts to prepare for a June 13 spacewalk and for ongoing evaluations of the Starliner by Wilmore, Williams, and ground teams.
These evaluations include investigating five detected helium leaks in the spacecraft. One leak was identified before launch and deemed low-risk. Four additional leaks have been found in space, but NASA officials assure that they are manageable. “Engineers evaluated the helium supply based on current leak rates and determined that Starliner has plenty of margin to support the return trip from station,” NASA noted in a June 10 update. The capsule retains enough helium for 70 hours of free flight, far exceeding the required seven hours for a normal mission conclusion.
Starliner also encountered issues with its reaction control system (RCS) thrusters. Of the 28 thrusters in its service module, five malfunctioned during the journey to the ISS. Four were restored quickly, but one remains non-operational. NASA and Boeing plan to test all 28 thrusters after undocking to gather comprehensive data.
Mission teams are also evaluating the functionality and comfort of the “Boeing Blue” spacesuits and Starliner’s seats. Additionally, the astronauts have tested the capsule’s power cycling and conducted “safe haven” checks to confirm its ability to serve as a refuge during an ISS emergency.
The return date for the CFT mission remains tentative, with June 18 as the earliest possible date. Upon reentry, Starliner will land in the southwestern United States, NASA officials confirmed.
