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NASA’s Boeing Starliner spacecraft will return to Earth uncrewed due to technical issues during its first crewed flight.
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The spacecraft will land in one of four potential sites in the US, with rigorous weather checks and safety protocols in place.
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Astronaut Sunita Williams will remain on the ISS and return to Earth in February 2025 on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
NASA and Boeing are prioritizing safety as they prepare for the uncrewed return of the Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS). Due to technical issues during its first crewed flight, the spacecraft will land without its crew. Astronaut Sunita Williams will remain on the ISS and return to Earth in February 2025 on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
The Starliner spacecraft is designed for a land-based touchdown, enabling faster recovery of astronauts and cargo. Potential landing sites include White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Willcox, Arizona, Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and Edwards Air Force Base in California. Rigorous weather checks will be conducted 24 hours before undocking and prior to the deorbit burn to ensure safe landing conditions.
A dedicated landing and recovery team will be stationed near the landing site, following a strict sequence of operations to ensure safe recovery of the spacecraft. The team will check for hypergolic fuel residue, electrically ground and stabilize the spacecraft, supply power and cooling, document the recovery process, and retrieve time-critical cargo.
