NASA It has not been possible to determine the conditions for the crew’s return so far. Boeing Starliner The journey from the ISS to Earth has already been postponed several times due to technical problems. However, the agency said engineers NASA And Boeing’s We are trying to find out what is wrong with the spacecraft’s engines, and as soon as the cause of the problems is found, a decision will be made to send the crew back.

Experts are currently evaluating the results of tests of the same engine as the Boeing Starliner that took place last week at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in New Mexico, while the mission team is working on a plan to return the spacecraft crew from the ISS to Earth in the coming weeks.

Ground tests included firing the engine of the Boeing Starliner’s jet control system, used to perform maneuvers, under conditions similar to those experienced by the spacecraft en route to the ISS. High-load launches were also conducted, recreating conditions from separation from the ISS, through deorbiting, starting the engines and slowing down, and deorbiting for landing in the southwestern United States.

At a press conference last Thursday, a NASA representative said the return date for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams is still unknown. Engineers will first disassemble the engine, which underwent ground testing in New Mexico, and analyze test data before allowing Starliner to return to Earth.

“We have collected a wealth of engine data that can help us better understand what happened in flight. Our team has begun tearing down and inspecting the engine, which will provide additional information as we analyze the results and consider next steps.” — said Steve Stich, NASA commercial flight program manager.

In the meantime, Wilmore and Williams are participating in experiments with the ISS crew, such as scanning veins using the Ultrasound 2 device last Monday.