NASA is set to return Boeing’s faulty Starliner capsule to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who will instead return on a SpaceX vehicle early next year, according to NASA chief Bill Nelson. The Starliner mission, which launched with its first two astronauts on June 5, has faced significant delays due to technical problems.
Here’s a timeline of key events for Starliner’s journey:
- Sept. 4, 2015: Boeing unveils an assembly plant for its commercial spaceships.
- Nov. 4, 2019: One of three parachutes fails during an unmanned Starliner test.
- Dec. 20, 2019: Starliner launches on its debut journey to the ISS.
- Jan. 7, 2020: Investigation into a software glitch prevents Starliner from reaching the ISS.
- Feb. 6, 2020: NASA review panel warns of a near-catastrophic failure.
- Aug. 25, 2020: Starliner’s first crewed mission is planned for 2021.
- Oct. 7, 2020: Chris Ferguson steps down; Butch Wilmore replaces him.
- July 29, 2021: NASA postpones the Starliner launch.
- Aug. 3, 2021: Boeing announces another delay due to a new glitch.
- May 19, 2022: Starliner launches on a do-over uncrewed test flight.
- Aug. 25, 2022: Boeing targets early 2023 for the first crewed mission.
- June 1, 2023: Boeing halts late preparations for the crewed flight due to safety issues.
- May 3, 2024: Starliner’s crewed mission delayed by a year.
- June 1, 2024: Launch attempt halted minutes before liftoff due to a computer-abort system.
- June 5, 2024: Starliner successfully launches with astronauts and docks with the ISS.
- June 11, 2024: Expected return of Starliner is delayed due to technical issues.
- Aug. 7, 2024: NASA announces that astronauts will return on a SpaceX vehicle if Starliner remains unsafe.
- Aug. 24, 2024: Starliner will return to Earth without its astronauts onboard.
Despite numerous delays and technical challenges, NASA and Boeing are continuing their efforts to resolve the issues with Starliner’s propulsion system.