Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has been docked with the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly a month, with NASA and its commercial partner repeatedly delaying the crew’s departure aboard the capsule. Despite indefinitely postponing Starliner’s return flight, NASA and Boeing insist that the spacecraft is fully operational, can return to Earth at any time, and that the two astronauts aboard are not stranded in space.
Boeing officials have described the coverage of the mission so far as “pretty painful,” and stressed that this is a test mission with the primary goal of gathering as much data as possible. That may be true. But there are troubling signs that things may not be going as smoothly as NASA and Boeing claim.
Given all the extra testing the spacecraft has had to undergo while docked to the ISS, it’s also unclear how the program will progress once the test flight is over. Starliner’s first crewed flight revealed several issues with the spacecraft that need to be addressed. Will NASA require Boeing to spend more time repairing its capsule, and will a second test flight be necessary? These are issues NASA and its partner have yet to address amid a wave of bad press and public ridicule.
Boeings Starliner capsule launched on June 5 aboard the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that carried NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the ISS. spacecraft had trouble docking at the space station after five of the spacecraft’s thrusters failed during approach. Starliner also developed five helium leaksone of which had already been identified before launch.
The mission was originally scheduled for eight days, but the crew’s return has been delayed several times as ground crews conduct tests on the vehicle and gather data before giving the astronauts the green light to return to Earth. During a press conference on Friday, NASA officials revealed that the mission does not yet have a return date, pending completion of testing. They have also been angered by claims that the astronauts are stuck on the ISS.
“Butch and Suni are not stuck in space,” Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, told reporters Friday. Despite the thruster failure and the helium leaks, NASA and Boeing maintain that the spacecraft can fly the astronauts home at any time, and that the few extra weeks in space are intended to perform tests that otherwise can’t be done on the ground.
“We understand these issues for safe reentry,” Boeing program manager Mark Nappi said during Friday’s news conference. “We don’t understand them enough to permanently fix them.” The Starliner currently docked with the ISS can’t be changed much as a result of the ground tests, but the data could inform future models of the spacecraft.
Engineers are also evaluating an RCS oxidizer isolation valve in the service module that is not properly closed. An RCS, or Reaction Control System, uses thrusters for attitude control and steering, while the oxidizer isolation valve regulates the flow of oxidizer, which is essential for burning fuel in the thrusters.
It’s understandable that Boeing and NASA want to run tests on the vehicle, since this is a test mission after all. But tests that continue to pile up for weeks are a bit concerning and suggest that Starliner may not yet be ready to be designated as the second commercial spacecraft to carry astronauts to the ISS. NASA’s other commercial partner, SpaceX, has launched eight crews to the space station so far. Boeing, on the other hand, has yet to fly any of its six contracted flights under its $4.3 billion deal with NASA.
Boeing has previously launched two unmanned flights to the ISS, which also suffered from a number of glitches. This is the first time the vehicle has carried a crew into space, and years of delays have led to anticipation, but also some skepticism, about whether the company can pull it off.
During the press conference, Boeing’s Nappi told reporters that he reads the Google alerts for Starliner every morning and that it’s “pretty painful to read.” “We had a really good test flight … and it’s pretty negatively reviewed,” he added. “We’re not stuck on the ISS. The crew is not in danger. And there’s no increased risk if we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth.”
It’s hardly a surprise that Nappi is being hit by Google’s notifications. Even before the Starliner debacle, the company had been under scrutiny since the infamous incident earlier this year when a door blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing jet. A few months later, the federal government said Boeing has breached his 2021 agreement by failing to design, implement and maintain a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of U.S. fraud laws across its operations. Boeing is also is being investigated for two fatal plane crashes in which 346 people died in 2017 and 2018.
The ongoing Starliner accidents only add to the growing criticism of Boeing and concerns about the company’s compliance with safety standards. NASA has always stood by its commercial partner, at least publicly, and has reassured the media that there is nothing to worry about.
Starliner is certified to remain at the ISS for up to 45 days during its current mission. The spacecraft may need to be recertified while in orbit unless NASA and Boeing can complete additional testing of Starliner by the deadline. It is still unclear how the space agency will decide to proceed after Starliner’s descent into the Utah desert.
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