Starliner's Return Marks Milestone in NASA's Commercial Crew Program

In a pivotal moment for commercial spaceflight, NASA and Boeing have successfully completed a major flight test of the Starliner spacecraft, which touched down safely in White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, at 10:01 p.m. MDT on September 6. The conclusion of this three-month test marks a significant step forward for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which aims to facilitate safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to the International Space Station (ISS) and low Earth orbit.

NASA Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox expressed immense pride in the collective effort put into the entire flight test, emphasizing the invaluable insight gained through putting Starliner through the rigors of space. While the decision was made to return the spacecraft uncrewed, this mission provided critical learnings that will inform the future of crewed space missions.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft embarked on this significant journey on June 5 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard, destined for the agency’s Boeing Crewed Flight Test. However, complications arose as the craft encountered helium leaks and issues with its reaction control thrusters while closing in on the ISS. In a move prioritizing astronaut safety, NASA decided to bring Starliner back to Earth without its human passengers.

Despite the setback, Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, sees a silver lining. The safe return of Starliner represents a successful test flight and a treasure trove of insights, setting the stage for future successful missions. Wilmore and Williams, meanwhile, will extend their stay on the ISS, contributing to the Expedition 71/72 crew until their scheduled return in February 2025 via SpaceX's Crew-9 mission.

Starliner's completion of its uncrewed flight is a critical milestone in the spacecraft's journey toward certification for regular crew rotation missions. This test flight and the subsequent data review will bring NASA a step closer to achieving its goals of enhancing research time and opportunities for discovery in microgravity environments, as well as preparing for more distant human explorations, including missions to the Moon and Mars.

As Starliner is transported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for post-mission inspection, the Commercial Crew Program looks forward to the future of crewed missions, with the promise of continuous innovation and exploration in the vast expanse of space.