Boeing and NASA engineers have completed a series of ground tests to investigate the performance issues that marred the Starliner spacecraft’s latest mission. The month-long testing at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico aimed to recreate the conditions experienced by the spacecraft during its recent flight. By simulating launch-to-docking and undocking-deorbit sequences, the teams collected terabytes of data on the Starliner’s Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster performance.
In the most stressing conditions, the thruster was tested for over 1,000 pulses, mimicking the Crew Flight Test (CFT) environment. The tests also included more aggressive runs to replicate the higher thermal conditions the thrusters faced during the in-flight. Dan Niedermaier, Boeing’s engineer responsible for the testing, stated that these additional tests allowed the teams to explore the thrusters’ behavior under extreme circumstances.
The testing has concluded, and the data is now being analyzed to better understand the causes of the thrust degradation issue. Meanwhile, NASA and Boeing are working towards determining the timeline for bringing astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth. Despite a lack of certainty, the agencies anticipate making the return trip “in the coming weeks.” A forthcoming press conference will provide further updates on the status.
