Boeing Starliner, Crew Will Return to Earth No Earlier Than June 26

Helium leaks, failing thrusters, and a faulty valve component are extending NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ stay on the International Space Station.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 05:00 PM ET

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Boeing’s Starliner docks with the International Space Station’s Harmony module during an uncrewed flight test in 2022. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

Boeing's Starliner capsule and its crew, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, have had their return to Earth from the ISS delayed until at least June 26, extending their mission from 8 days to over three weeks.
The delay is to allow NASA and Boeing teams to collect additional data and investigate several technical issues affecting Starliner's service module.
Key issues include five identified helium leaks, five aft reaction control system (RCS) thrusters failing to fire during rendezvous, and a faulty oxidizer isolation valve.
While significant progress is being made in understanding these problems, the ongoing issues may lead to a delay in Starliner's certification for future operational missions.

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Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and the crew of the capsule’s inaugural crew flight test (CFT), NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than June 26, Starliner teams said during a news conference Tuesday.

Wilmore and Williams began their sojourn to the ISS on June 5 with plans for an eight-day stay but will now spend a minimum of three weeks aboard the orbital laboratory.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.