On June 14, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will depart from the International Space Station (ISS) and return to Earth on June 22.
Earlier last week, NASA indicated that they expected to bring the Starliner and its crew back to Earth on June 18, later than the original plan due to analysts examining potential issues that might affect this journey.
CST-100 Starliner spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)
In a joint statement on June 14, NASA and Boeing stated that the decision to postpone the date to June 22 will allow the Starliner more time to prepare for its departure from the ISS and return to Earth, while still being able to respond and implement safety measures for the crew in case of an emergency.
On June 5, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner successfully transported two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to the ISS. According to the initial schedule, the spacecraft and its crew were set to leave the ISS and return to Earth on June 14.
When scheduling the Starliner’s journey back to Earth, NASA officials in Houston had to consider various factors including repairing faulty components on the spacecraft, weather conditions, and ongoing activities on the ISS such as astronauts’ spacewalks.
The first journey of the CST-200 Starliner crew to the ISS marks an important milestone for Boeing, as this is seen as a critical test before NASA grants certification for Starliner to conduct regular flights. The launch of this spacecraft comes at a time when Boeing is striving to capture a larger share of NASA’s lucrative business.
