Starliners Return Delayed Again What’s Next for the Spacecraft?
|NASA and Boeing have postponed the return of the Starliner crew from the ISS to June 22, allowing more time for departure preparations. Meanwhile, extensive testing on Starliner’s capabilities continues, including a ‘hot fire test’ of its thrusters.NASA and Boeing are now targeting no earlier than Saturday, June 22, to return the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission from the International Space Station (ISS). The extra time allows the team to finalize departure planning and operations while the spacecraft remains cleared for crew emergency return scenarios within the flight rules.
NASA and Boeing leadership will discuss the details of the new return target, flight status, and weather considerations for landing during a pre-departure media teleconference at 12 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 18. NASA will provide additional media teleconference details soon.