NASA has shared an image of astronauts Mike Fincke and Scott Tingle inspecting Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft after it returned uncrewed to the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on September 6, 2024. This return followed a challenging journey, with the spacecraft having launched in June for what was intended to be its final test mission before being certified for crewed operations.
Initially, the mission was expected to last about a week, but malfunctions—including thruster issues and helium leaks—forced NASA to change plans. Despite hopes to bring astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth aboard the Starliner, NASA ultimately decided that using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025 would be safer.
The Starliner capsule, which had to endure extreme temperatures of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit upon reentry, landed at 0401 GMT on Saturday, its descent slowed by parachutes and cushioned by airbags. The spacecraft had departed the ISS roughly six hours earlier, generating sonic booms that were reported by ground teams as it streaked through the night sky.
While NASA praised Boeing for the “bullseye” landing, Steve Stich, the program manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, acknowledged new issues, such as the failure of a new thruster and the temporary loss of the guidance system. Stich emphasized that it was too early to confirm whether Starliner’s next scheduled flight in August 2025 would be crewed, saying that NASA needed time to analyze the data and determine necessary changes.
In preparation for the spacecraft’s return, Boeing had conducted extensive ground testing and assured NASA that it could bring the astronauts home safely. NASA, however, chose to proceed without crew, with Stich defending the decision, stating it was made based on the available data.
Boeing’s Starliner program has experienced several setbacks over the years, putting the aerospace giant under pressure as it competes with SpaceX. Since 2014, both companies have been contracted by NASA to transport astronauts to the ISS. However, SpaceX has far outpaced Boeing, successfully launching astronauts since 2020, while the Starliner program has faced delays, technical issues, and mission failures.
With the ISS set to be decommissioned in 2030, Boeing’s Starliner faces mounting pressure to prove its reliability before time runs out.