“Starliner” capsule again on Earth | EUROtoday

The “Starliner” capsule has efficiently returned to Earth from the ISS – however in contrast to initially deliberate, with out astronauts on board. Due to quite a few technical issues, they are going to most likely be caught within the house station till February.

The crisis-ridden spacecraft “Starliner” has returned to Earth with none main issues after three months in house. The capsule, manufactured by the US firm Boeing, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) 400 kilometers above Earth shortly after midnight German time with out a crew on board, as reside photographs from the US house company NASA confirmed.

After round six hours, the “Starliner” touched down within the desert of the US federal state of New Mexico. Shortly earlier than the “Starliner” landed, two braking chutes opened as deliberate, adopted by three parachutes, which enabled the capsule to the touch down gently within the desert. Finally, six touchdown airbags unfolded.

Unmanned as an alternative of with two astronauts on board

Around six hours earlier, the Starliner house capsule had undocked from the ISS and made its option to Earth – however with out the 2 astronauts on board that it had introduced there in June. The spacecraft from the US aerospace firm Boeing had docked with the ISS on June 6 with the 2 astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Lyn Williams on board.

It was the primary manned flight of the house capsule, the commissioning of which had been delayed for years because of technical difficulties. The mission was meant to be the final check earlier than the spacecraft was used regularly. But this mission was additionally overshadowed by technical defects: During docking, issues arose with the thrusters, that are wanted for exact maneuvering. In addition, helium leaks have been found earlier than launch and through the flight.

Eight months as an alternative of eight days

Due to security considerations, NASA officers determined to maintain the 2 astronauts on the house station. They have been really solely supposed to remain there for eight days, however now it is going to most likely be eight months. The Boeing company, whose repute has suffered considerably because of quite a few incidents involving its business plane, tried to persuade NASA of the protection of the capsule. However, the US house company determined to have the 2 astronauts returned to Earth within the “Dragon” house capsule of rival firm SpaceX – however this won’t occur till February, so Wilmore and Burns will keep in house eight months longer than deliberate.

Due to the technical issues with the “Starliner” challenge, SpaceX has now left Boeing behind. In 2014, NASA signed billion-dollar contracts with each firms for transport to the ISS. In distinction to Boeing, the house firm SpaceX, based by tech multi-billionaire Elon Musk, has been efficiently transporting astronauts to the ISS and again since 2020. There are at the moment six astronauts on the house station – the 4 common crew members and the 2 “Starliner” astronauts.