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Starliner crew confident spacecraft will bring them safely home
Helium leaks and thruster issues prompted NASA to extend their stay aboard the space station indefinitely -- Wednesday marked their 35th day in orbit -- while engineers carry out tests and analysis to better understand what caused the problems and to make sure the spacecraft can safely being Wilmore and Williams home.
Starliner landing now on indefinite hold for more tests, but NASA insists crew not ‘stranded’ in space
The problem for NASA and Boeing is that the Starliner's service module, which houses the helium lines, thrusters and other critical systems, is discarded before re-entry and burns up in the atmosphere. Engineers will not be able to study the hardware after the fact and as a result, they want to collect as much data as possible before NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams head home.
NASA again delays Starliner undocking, return to Earth
NASA and Boeing managers have again decided to extend the Starliner crew capsule's stay at the International Space Station, passing up a June 26 re-entry to allow more time for analysis and testing to make sure helium leaks and thruster failures are fully understood, officials said late Friday.
VideoStarliner crew welcomed aboard space station
Working around multiple helium leaks and thruster problems, the crew of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft wrapped up a challenging rendezvous and a delayed-but-successful docking with the International Space Station Thursday in a major milestone for the new ship's first piloted test flight.
VideoNASA says Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule can safely fly ‘as is’ with propulsion system helium leak
After nearly three weeks of exhaustive tests and data analysis, NASA managers said Friday they are confident Boeing's oft-delayed Starliner crew capsule can safely launch "as is" June 1, saying a small helium leak in the ship's propulsion system does not pose a flight safety concern.
Boeing Starliner launch Saturday ruled out as helium leak analysis continues
Plans to launch Boeing's oft-delayed Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed test flight Saturday were put on hold Tuesday night to give managers more time to evaluate a small helium leak in the ship's propulsion system. A new launch target was not announced.
Boeing Starliner launch slips to May 21 to verify helium leak fix
Launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying Boeing's Starliner capsule is slipping another four days, from Friday to next Tuesday, to give engineers time to make sure a helium leak in the crew ship's propulsion system has been resolved, officials said Tuesday.
VideoLong-delayed Boeing Starliner ready for first piloted flight to space station
Years behind schedule and more than a billion dollars over budget, Boeing's Starliner capsule is finally poised for its first piloted launch Monday, a critical test flight carrying two veteran astronauts to the International Space Station and in so doing, demonstrate an alternative to SpaceX's already operational Crew Dragon.
VideoSpaceX readies Falcon 9 for commercial flight to space station
An international four-man crew strapped into a SpaceX capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket at the Kennedy Space Center Tuesday for a dress-rehearsal countdown. The launch of the privately-funded research mission to the International Space Station has been delayed until Thursday.
Russia launches space station cargo ship
A Russian Progress cargo ship loaded with more than 5,500 pounds of supplies and equipment bound for the International Space Station blasted off from Kazakhstan early Friday, kicking off a two-day orbital chase.