NASA announced on Saturday that it will return Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. Instead, Wilmore and Williams will return in February 2025 aboard a Crew Dragon capsule, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX.
The decision to return Starliner uncrewed aims to allow NASA and Boeing to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the spacecraft’s performance during its journey back. Wilmore and Williams, who have been stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) since June as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, will continue their scientific work aboard the ISS. Their tasks include research, maintenance, and system testing until their scheduled return.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson underscored the importance of safety in spaceflight, stating, “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the ISS and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety—our core value and our North Star.”
Nelson expressed appreciation for the efforts of both NASA and Boeing teams in ensuring a thorough evaluation of the spacecraft’s systems. Starliner is expected to depart from the ISS and make a controlled autonomous re-entry in early September.
The decision follows the detection of helium leaks and issues with the spacecraft’s reaction control thrusters during its approach to the ISS on June 6. Engineering teams have since conducted extensive data reviews, flight and ground testing, and independent safety assessments.
Ken Bowersox, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate, praised the transparent discussions and safety-focused approach of the teams. “We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations,” Bowersox noted, emphasizing the significance of the uncrewed return for future missions.
Steve Stich, Manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, highlighted the importance of the ongoing flight test. “This flight test is providing critical information on Starliner’s performance in space,” Stich said, stressing the collaborative efforts between NASA and Boeing to refine the spacecraft’s systems for upcoming missions.
