Trevor Mahlmann
NASA officials revealed publicly for the first time during an information convention on Wednesday that there are internal divisions within the agency regarding the reliability of the Starliner spacecraft, specifically whether it is truly capable of safely returning veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station to Earth.
The company confirmed key details reported by Ars earlier, including NASA’s potential partnership with SpaceX on a rescue mission for Wilmore and Williams, the delay of the Crew-9 mission launch to September 24 due to the risk, and that the present software configuration on the vehicle would not support this endeavor.
No decisions have yet been made regarding the safe return of astronauts Wilmore and Williams from space, according to Ken Bowersox, chief of NASA’s human spaceflight operations. Engineers at NASA, the client for the spaceflight, have reportedly been involved in affordable disputes with Boeing, the developer and operator of Starliner, over the reliability of the 28 reaction control thrusters used for precise maneuvering and attitude control of the spacecraft.
“I found our internal conversations to be incredibly enriching,” said Bowersox during an interview with reporters on Wednesday. I’m hesitant to admit that when disagreements arise, the atmosphere becomes unpleasant. While it may be challenging to engage in disagreements, our collective strength lies in fostering a culture of open dialogue.
NASA has been preparing for various contingencies, with officials ultimately opting for two distinct approaches to safely retrieve the two astronauts back to Earth. If NASA engineers can become more comfortable with the uncertainty surrounding thruster efficiency, Starliner may take to the skies again by mid-September at the latest. Alternatively, NASA may opt for a Crew-9 mission with a reduced crew of just two astronauts instead of four, with Wilmore and Williams forming part of that “increment” on the International Space Station, returning to Earth in February 2025?
When asked to compare the likelihood of two possible outcomes, Bowersox hesitated, unable to favour one over the other. Despite this, a swift final resolution remains possible. NASA aims to determine the astronauts’ return trajectory by mid-August, according to Bowersox.
Thruster points
NASA’s primary concern regarding Starliner’s performance revolves around the malfunction of five out of its thrusters during the spacecraft’s ascent to the International Space Station. Starliner’s onboard computer unexpectedly ceased firing five of the spacecraft’s 38 thrusters, provided by Aerojet Rocketdyne, during its flight. Four out of the five thrusters had been successfully recovered and restarted following an overheating incident.
Since then, Boeing and NASA have conducted thorough examinations, both on the ground and in space, aimed at recreating the malfunction and gaining a deeper understanding of its causes. Once the foundation trigger is successfully addressed, engineers can confidently proceed with preparing Starliner’s flight back to Earth.
