Tonight, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth. Whether or not it will be a safe return depends on who you ask. In one corner, we have Boeing, who publicly at least, stands 100% behind their crew capsule. In the other corner, NASA’, who is confident in Starliner, but not confident enough to risk the lives their astronauts.
The spacecraft, currently docked to the International Space Station (ISS),will complete its mission uncrewed due to ongoing thruster issues. Those issues were enough to convince NASA over a summer of testing that returning the Starliner with astronauts on board may not be such a good idea.
A few minutes before the Starliner undocks from the ISS, NASA will conduct a “go/no-go” poll to gauge the conditions at the landing site in White Sands, New Mexico. If all goes well, undocking is expected at 6:04 pm EDT, with springs instantly pushing the spacecraft away from the ISS. Starliner is then expected to conduct a deorbit burn at 11:17 p.m. EDT and will parachute to the New Mexico desert floor, touching down at 12:03 AM EDT.
The return of the Starliner has drawn a lot attention due to the technical problems that have plagued the spacecraft since its inception. Initially designed to carry astronauts to and from the ISS, Starliner has faced multiple setbacks, including a failed test flight in 2019 and technical issues during a more recent mission in June 2024. A primary concern has been its thrusters, which failed to operate correctly during its approach to the ISS. NASA deemed the risk of returning astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams too high, opting instead for an unmanned descent. Any anomaly in the firing of the trusting would affect the timing and angle of re-entry. Too steep, the spacecraft will burn up like a shooting star. Too shallow, the spacecraft will “skip” off the atmosphere into space.
This return, like previous uncrewed test flights, will be closely monitored, with teams on the ground prepared to gather data on the performance of the spacecraft’s systems. Key focus areas include the spacecraft’s reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, which were problematic during its June docking attempts. Engineers will conduct several short test fires of the thrusters during the descent, hoping to gather more data to understand and address the issues.
The decision to land at White Sands Missile Range is by design. Starliner is the first American capsule designed for land-based recovery, using parachutes and airbags to cushion its desert landing. White Sands, one of the primary landing sites, has been the setting for two prior successful landings during uncrewed test missions in 2019 and 2022.
Tonight’s landing will also pave the way for future crewed missions. Boeing and NASA are working on a timeline to resolve the spacecraft’s technical issues, including thruster overheating and helium leaks. The post-flight reviews and corrective actions will determine whether Starliner can safely carry astronauts in the future.
This mission, while problematic for Boeing, also represents NASA’s Commercial Crew strategy for safety, redundancy, and cooperation with other space agencies.
