Starliner spacecraft expected to return to Earth without astronauts

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on August 30 that Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is expected to leave the International Space Station (ISS) and return to Earth next week.

As planned, this unmanned spacecraft will automatically separate from the ISS to return home and will land at White Sands Spaceport in New Mexico around September 7 (Eastern US time), marking the completion of the test flight.

CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. (Source: AFP)

On June 6, the Starliner carried two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to the ISS. This was the first manned flight of this spacecraft.

However, as Starliner approached the orbiting laboratory, NASA and Boeing discovered the spacecraft had a helium leak and a problem with its thrusters.

For the safety of the astronauts, NASA decided that Starliner would return to Earth without a crew.

Astronauts Wilmore and Williams will stay on the ISS and return in February 2025 on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members on NASA's Crew-9 mission.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/du-kien-tau-vu-tru-starliner-se-tro-ve-trai-dat-ma-khong-co-phi-hanh-gia-284714.html