Boeing's Starliner Completes Uncrewed Return Amid Technical Woes, Astronauts to Rely on SpaceX for Safe Journey Home

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft completed its uncrewed return to Earth on September 7, landing safely at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. The landing was smooth, with the spacecraft's parachutes opening to slow its descent before it touched down. The return journey started about six hours earlier when the Starliner detached from the International Space Station (ISS) to make its way home.

Back on June 5, Starliner had embarked on its first crewed test flight, carrying two NASA astronauts to the ISS. However, technical issues, including a helium leak and propulsion system malfunction, repeatedly delayed the spacecraft's return. Given these potential safety risks, NASA opted to keep the astronauts on the ISS for a lengthened stay of about five to six months. Consequently, the uncrewed Starliner departed the ISS at 18:04 on September 6, beginning its solo journey back to Earth.

On August 24, NASA announced that the two astronauts who had been on the ISS since early June are now scheduled to return to Earth via SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft in February 2025. Initially, these astronauts traveled to the ISS aboard the Starliner, but due to various technical failures, their return trip faced multiple delays.

Out of safety considerations, the decision not to allow the astronauts to return on the Starliner has been affirmed as prudent. During the mission, the Starliner was launched on June 5 and docked with the ISS on June 6. Originally scheduled to return on June 14, the spacecraft's technical problems meant that its return had to be postponed multiple times.

Ultimately, NASA decided to have the Starliner make its September 6 return uncrewed. The two astronauts will instead use SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft for their return trip. SpaceX has planned to launch the Dragon spacecraft at the end of September, with the usual crew complement of four astronauts reduced to two to make room for the astronauts stranded on the ISS.