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(Reuters) – NASA will return Boeing (NYSE:)’s defective Starliner capsule to Earth with out astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who will return to Earth on a SpaceX car early subsequent yr, NASA chief Invoice Nelson stated on Saturday.
Starliner launched its first two astronauts, each former navy check pilots, into house on June 5 as an important check earlier than it could actually obtain NASA approval for routine flights. However what was presupposed to be an eight-day mission docked to the ISS has been drawn out by months after the capsule sprang leaks and a few of its thrusters failed.
This is a rundown of key occasions in Starliner’s journey to house over the previous few years:
Sept. 4, 2015 – Boeing takes the wraps off an meeting plant for its first line of business spaceships, which NASA plans to make use of to fly crews to the ISS.
Nov. 4, 2019 – Boeing says considered one of three parachutes didn’t open throughout an important unmanned check of the Starliner.
Dec. 20, 2019 – Boeing efficiently launches its new astronaut capsule on an uncrewed debut journey to the ISS.
Dec. 22, 2019 – The spacecraft makes a “bullseye” touchdown within the New Mexico desert.
Jan. 7, 2020 – NASA and Boeing examine a software program glitch that prevented the unmanned capsule from reaching the ISS in its Dec. 2019 flight.
Feb. 6, 2020 – The NASA evaluation panel says Boeing narrowly missed a “catastrophic failure” throughout its December flight check.
Aug. 25, 2020 – The primary Starliner crewed mission is tentatively slated for 2021, with Boeing aiming to finish software program and check {hardware} manufacturing growth.
Oct. 7, 2020 – The chief astronaut for Starliner’s crewed flight to the ISS, Chris Ferguson, steps down from the job, citing household priorities. He’s changed by Wilmore.
July 29, 2021 – An area station mishap prompts NASA to postpone the launch of the Starliner.
Aug. 3, 2021 – Boeing postpones Starliner launch after new glitch.
Aug. 13, 2021 – Boeing returns the spacecraft to the manufacturing facility to resolve a valve subject, delaying the launch date till at the least mid-October if not later.
Might 19, 2022 – The Starliner capsule launches on a do-over uncrewed check flight sure for the ISS.
Might 20, 2022 – The Starliner capsule, with out astronauts onboard, docked for the primary time with the ISS.
Aug 25, 2022 – Boeing proclaims it’s concentrating on early 2023 for the primary Starliner mission carrying astronauts.
June 1, 2023 – Boeing says it’s standing down from late preparations for its first crewed Starliner check flight to house, which was deliberate for July 2023, after it found two safety-critical points with the spacecraft.
Might 3, 2024 – Boeing poised to ship the primary Starliner house capsule with a crew of people into orbit the next week, after a yr’s delay.
Might 6, 2024 – The primary crewed check flight of the brand new Starliner house capsule was postponed after the deliberate Might 6 launch countdown was halted over a fault with the Atlas (NYSE:) V rocket.
Might 7, 2024 – NASA says new focused launch date for the mission was set to Might 17 on the earliest.
Might 14, 2024 – Boeing says the Starliner mission had been delayed once more – till at the least Might 21 – over a problem with the spacecraft’s propulsion system.
Might 17, 2024 – NASA and Boeing delayed the launch of the Starliner crew capsule once more to verify helium leak, concentrating on Might 25.
Might 21, 2024 – NASA once more delayed the debut crew flight to spend extra time evaluating the helium leak within the spacecraft’s propulsion system.
Might 22, 2024 – NASA and Boeing goal June 1 for the launch.
June 1, 2024 – A second try at launching the Starliner with astronauts on board was robotically halted with minutes to go earlier than liftoff by a computer-abort system.
June 2, 2024 – Boeing and NASA goal June 5 for the launch.
June 5, 2024 – The Starliner astronaut capsule was efficiently launched from Florida with two astronauts aboard, with docking with the ISS scheduled for June 6.
June 6, 2024 – The Starliner capsule and an inaugural two-member NASA crew safely docked with the Worldwide House Station.
June 11, 2024 – NASA and Boeing say they anticipate the Starliner capsule to return as quickly as June 18, later than a beforehand scheduled return, citing fixes to defective elements on the capsule, and climate situations amongst others.
June 21, 2024 – NASA additional postponed the Starliner’s return to Earth, to permit extra time for evaluation of technical points encountered.
June 27, 2024 – NASA says it could proceed to judge Starliner’s propulsion system efficiency together with Boeing.
Aug 7, 2024 – NASA says the 2 astronauts might return on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025 if Starliner remains to be deemed unsafe to return to Earth.
Aug 24, 2024 – The Starliner capsule is returning to Earth with out astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard, after NASA chief Invoice Nelson stated the duo might want to return on a SpaceX car early subsequent yr.
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