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NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore prepare for Boeing Starliner’s return to Earth.
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The spacecraft will undock from the ISS and land in New Mexico autonomously.
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The astronauts will return to Earth in February 2025 using a new SpaceX spacecraft due to issues with the Starliner.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are preparing for the return of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth. The spacecraft is set to undock from the ISS and land in New Mexico autonomously, using an autonomous system for the journey back.
The astronauts have completed packing the Starliner with cargo and preparing the cabin for its return. They will not be on board the spacecraft for its return journey, but will instead return to Earth in February 2025 using a new SpaceX spacecraft. This change is due to recent problems with the Boeing Starliner, such as thruster failures and helium leaks, which made it unsafe for their return.
The Starliner’s return will be livestreamed on NASA’s official channels, and the spacecraft will return valuable cargo and data from its time in space. The information gathered by the astronauts during their stay on the ISS will help improve human health and support advancements in Earth and space industries.
