Last month, NASA announced that the Starliner spacecraft will set off for Earth without a crew. This decision was a real blow to the prestige of the developer – the aerospace giant Boeing. As a result, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, stranded on the ISS, will return to Earth in February 2025 on a SpaceX spacecraft.
According to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s plan, Starliner will separate from the International Space Station on September 6 and return to Earth’s atmosphere.
Because helium leaks are affecting Starliner’s propulsion system, the space agency is trying to get the vehicle away from the station as quickly as possible to prevent it from damaging the ISS. After all, there were already fears that Starliner could crash into an orbital outpost, and those fears appear to be unfounded.
During a teleconference, NASA officials said Starliner will perform a “groundbreaking launch” that Johnson Space Center Flight Chief Anthony Varehi said will allow for faster docking and undocking from the ISS.
The original plan included a space station flight, which NASA usually requires to certify spacecraft under its Commercial Crew program, but they decided to forego that maneuver this time.
Source: Port Altele
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