“We remain confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew,” a Boeing spokesperson stated to CNBC on Friday. “We are supporting NASA’s requests for additional data, analysis, and data reviews to affirm the spacecraft’s safe undocking and landing capabilities.”
Alternate Plan for Returning Home
NASA has emphasized that “astronaut safety remains the top priority” in its decision-making process, acknowledging the inherent risks of human spaceflight. One of the primary alternatives being considered is returning the astronauts using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
This plan would involve removing two astronauts from the upcoming Crew-9 mission to make room for Wilmore and Williams.
This option underscores the lack of consensus among NASA and Boeing officials. While the extensions have been publicly framed as data-gathering exercises, internal discussions reveal deeper concerns about Starliner’s safety.
Testing Continues
From an engineering standpoint, the inability to pinpoint the root cause of the thruster failures suggests a persistent risk for further malfunctions. Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president of the Starliner program, acknowledged the challenges during a press conference on July 25, stating that testing had led to “very significant” findings that are “likely the root cause.” Despite these insights, a definitive solution remains elusive.
