The Boeing Starliner, carrying two astronauts, was originally scheduled to return from the International Space Station (ISS) on June 14 but was postponed to June 26.
Now, the return has been further delayed, as reported by Live Science.
NASA stated, “Mission managers are evaluating future return opportunities following the station’s two planned spacewalks on June 24 and July 2.”
This is Boeing’s first crewed mission, featuring U.S. astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
After years of delays, Boeing’s Starliner capsule launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 5. However, during the 25-hour flight, engineers identified five separate helium leaks in the spacecraft’s thruster system.
Mark Nappi, Boeing’s Starliner program manager, announced at a press conference, “We’ve learned that our helium system is not performing as designed. While it’s manageable, it’s still not working as intended, so we need to address that.”
The return module of the Starliner spacecraft is currently docked to the ISS’s Harmony module.
However, due to the Harmony module’s limited fuel, Starliner can only remain docked for 45 days, so the window for a safe return flight is shrinking.
