Boeing's Starliner Is Returning to Earth Without Its Crew

What Happened?

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is returning to Earth without its crew after experiencing technical difficulties during its uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Starliner was launched on December 20, 2022, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It was scheduled to dock with the ISS two days later, but a software glitch prevented the spacecraft from reaching its intended orbit.

Mission controllers worked to resolve the issue, but they were unable to do so in time. As a result, the Starliner was forced to return to Earth without completing its mission.

What Went Wrong?

The exact cause of the software glitch is still under investigation. However, Boeing has said that it is related to the spacecraft's mission timer.

The mission timer is responsible for controlling the spacecraft's sequencing of events. It tells the spacecraft when to perform certain tasks, such as firing its engines or deploying its solar arrays.

Boeing has said that the mission timer malfunctioned, causing the spacecraft to perform an unexpected maneuver. This maneuver put the Starliner into an incorrect orbit, and prevented it from reaching the ISS.

What's Next?

Boeing is currently working to resolve the software glitch. The company has said that it is confident that it can fix the issue and get the Starliner back on track.

Once the software glitch is fixed, Boeing will need to conduct another uncrewed test flight of the Starliner before it can be certified to carry astronauts.

The Starliner is a key part of NASA's plans to return humans to the Moon and Mars. The spacecraft is designed to transport astronauts to and from the ISS, as well as to other destinations in low-Earth orbit.

The software glitch is a setback for Boeing and NASA, but it is important to remember that these types of issues are common in the development of new spacecraft.

Boeing has a long history of developing and building successful spacecraft, and the company is confident that it can resolve the software glitch and get the Starliner back on track.