Boeing Starliner Capsule Lands Safely in New Mexico Despite Missed Docking
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft touches down in the New Mexico desert after a timer error prevents it from reaching the International Space Station. NASA still considers the uncrewed test flight a success as the agency prepares for crewed missions in 2020.
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft lands safely in the New Mexico desert, concluding a test flight that misses its primary objective. A timer error causes the uncrewed capsule to enter the wrong orbit, preventing it from docking with the International Space Station as planned.
The vehicle deploys three red, white, and blue parachutes to glide into the Army's White Sands Missile Range. This rare ground landing marks a significant milestone, as all previous U.S. capsules end their journeys in the ocean.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine calls the test flight an overall success despite the missed docking. Engineers now analyze the collected data as Boeing and NASA prepare to send American astronauts to space in 2020, ending a reliance on Russian rockets since the space shuttle retired in 2011.