They left for 8 days and will remain in space until February 2025.

© NASA

This is more bad news for Boeing. The company already in turmoil because of defective planes has just experienced a real humiliation in space . In 2010, NASA commissioned the company to build a capsule capable of sending astronauts into space. The same order was placed with SpaceX.

In November 2020, the first flight of Crew Dragon, the SpaceX ship, went off without a hitch. A first defeat for Boeing. 4 years later, finally, Starliner left Earth in turn. On board the capsule, two experienced American astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.

Boeing Starliner: a fiasco in 3 acts

But the mission did not go as planned. It even turned into a nightmare for Boeing. A few hours before takeoff, leaks were discovered. The flight took place despite everything. Starliner managed to reach the ISS and docked there. The astronauts entered the station and followed protocol. They have several missions to accomplish during their stay, initially 8 days.

A few hours after Butch and “Suni” arrived, new leaks were detected. NASA opened an investigation and studied its options. That’s when SpaceX came to the rescue. Elon Musk’s company had already planned to launch a manned capsule of its “Crew Dragon” design next February. It could therefore be used for the return of astronauts Butch and “Suni”.

An empty return to Earth

© Boeing

Finally, NASA decided to bring the Starliner capsule back to Earth, but empty. The two astronauts will therefore remain on the ISS for a few more months. They will return next February, aboard Crew 9, the SpaceX capsule.

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A real setback for Boeing, which will therefore see its direct competitor in space successfully complete its mission. According to NASA's initial words, this choice was made to ensure the safety of the astronauts. The Starliner capsule was not in optimal conditions to begin a descent to Earth, the American space agency, still traumatized by the Columbia tragedy in 2003 (which cost the lives of 7 people), does not want to take any risks.

Boeing resigns itself and accepts

Boeing has acknowledged the decision, but is not happy about it, of course. It now needs to prove to the world that Starliner is a reliable and safe tool by successfully returning to Earth. The last nightmare would be to see the capsule reduced to ashes, materializing NASA's worst fears and confirming its choice.

Finally, the main parties concerned say they are “ready to act”. The two astronauts are waiting to receive their mission orders for the coming months. They “understand” NASA's decision. However, they have made very few direct interventions to the press, leaving it to NASA's communicators to provide after-sales service.

For now, neither NASA nor Boeing have drawn any conclusions from this fiasco. But it is clear that after such a failure, Boeing's participation will be more than questioned. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is expected to speak on the subject in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, he may restore his confidence in the company, at least that is what is being whispered in the corridors of the space control center in Houston.

• “Sick” Starliner capsule to return to Earth alone
• Astronauts will return in February, with a SpaceX module
• NASA doesn't want to take any risks with its astronauts

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