If you’ve been tuning into the recent news, perhaps you’re aware that NASA recently made the difficult decision to delay bringing astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) home on Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The reason? Safety concerns. The spacecraft encountered several technical issues that teams on the ground simply couldn’t overlook.
As a result, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been instructed to remain in orbit – at least until a pod from SpaceX, a longtime NASA collaborator, can come to rescue them come 2025. But just what occurred with Boeing’s Starliner project that has rendered it so unfit for the current task?
What’s Going Wrong with the Starliner?
The propulsion and parachute systems are the Starliner’s main issues. The propulsion system controls the spacecraft’s movements in space, using puffs of volatile gas, or propellant, to make minute changes in orientation. It’s a crucial system during docking with the ISS and when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Unfortunately, some of the thrusters haven’t been firing as expected, predominantly due to leaks in the helium tanks.
This is problematic for the craft, as the helium gas pressure is used to push the propellant out of the ship. Imagine trying to steer a car, but the steering wheel only works part of the time, and unpredictably so. That’s the nature of many of Starliner’s issues.
But beyond gas leaks, there’s also the parachute system. The parachutes are designed to deploy during re-entry to slow the spacecraft down using atmospheric drag. Nonetheless, there’s been concern through simulations and ground testing that the mechanism might not work correctly, either deploying at the wrong time or simply breaking apart altogether.
If the parachutes aren’t dispatched in the proper configuration, the Starliner could land with too much force, putting the astronauts and its own structural integrity at risk. This isn’t something the spacefaring arm of the federal government is willing to gamble on.
Unfortunately, fixing these problems isn’t as simple as swapping out a few parts, especially when the module currently sits in orbit. The propulsion system, for instance, must work perfectly in the harsh vacuum of space. No atmosphere is around to help with cooling, and even a small error can cause big problems as the craft attempts a complex re-entry procedure.
The parachute system is equally challenging for in-obit troubleshooting. These “airbrakes” need to deploy at exactly the right moment and must be able to withstand extreme descent forces without tearing or failing. If anything goes wrong, the spacecraft could, and likely will, crash-land. The use of flammable tape in the capsule’s construction has also influenced NASA’s decision.
Read More: 15 of the Most Life-Changing Spacecraft and Missions That Fueled Our Curiosity
How Long Will the Crew Be Delayed?
Per original mission guidelines, the astronauts were supposed to return on the Starliner by the end of 2023. But with Starliner’s issues, their return was pushed to the end of 2024, and with the latest updates, the return is now early 2025.
NASA decided that using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon would be the safer option for now, which means the astronauts will be spending several extra months aboard the ISS. Despite the difficult situation, NASA has learned over the decades to not ignore the possibility of potential tragedies during orbital entry and re-entry.
The Apollo program, which culminated in the historic moon landings, was marked by intense scrutiny over its commitment to safety. After the tragic Apollo 1 fire in 1967, which claimed the lives of three astronauts during a pre-launch test, NASA adopted a much more rigorous approach to pre-flight safety and validation. This pivotal event served as a sobering reminder of the dangers inherent in space exploration, as well as the need for meticulous attention to detail.
Similarly, the Space Shuttle program, despite its many successes, was marred by the Challenger disaster in 1986 and the Columbia disaster in 2003. Both incidents were the result of technical failures that could have been mitigated with more stringent safety protocols. These tragedies underscored the importance of addressing even minor anomalies.
Read More: Looking Back at the Challenger Disaster
Why Did NASA Choose SpaceX Instead?
As a result of Starliner’s technical hurdles, NASA has instead opted to sort out the logistical hurdles of a SpaceX return voyage. The Crew Dragon has completed several successful missions, making it the more dependable choice. After all, SpaceX’s craft has already proven it can bring astronauts to and from the ISS safely.
On the other hand, the Starliner hasn’t yet completed a successful crewed mission. For Boeing, this delay is a significant setback, especially given their plans for multiple crewed missions to the ISS within the decade. The company has invested billions into the Starliner project, through both research and development and cost overruns, hoping it would be a cornerstone of NASA’s human spaceflight program.
But these repeated delays and technical problems have put Boeing in a difficult position. The stakes are quite high for each player. Boeing is faced with increased pressure to prove that the Starliner can be a reliable spacecraft.
If they can’t resolve these issues quickly through further testing, they risk losing NASA’s confidence, and potentially their role in future deliveries to the ISS.
Read More: In Historic First, SpaceX Successfully Launches NASA Astronauts Into Space
What’s Next for the Starliner?
The future of the Starliner is uncertain, and the next few months will be critical. If Boeing can resolve the issues, the Starliner could still play a role in NASA’s plans. But if the problems persist, NASA might have to rethink its reliance on the spacecraft, as well as its ambitions to employ multiple spacecraft suppliers to provide redundancy to missions.
This could mean shifting more resources to SpaceX or even looking to other emerging players in the nascent spaceflight industry, like Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin. No matter the outcome, one fact is clear: Space exploration is complex, and it’s much better to be safe than sorry in such circumstances.
Read More: How NASA And SpaceX Get Spacecraft Safely Back On Earth
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