Boeing Starliner Misses Orbit in Critical Uncrewed NASA Test Flight
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft fails to reach the International Space Station after a timer error puts it in the wrong orbit. NASA and Boeing officials confirm the capsule is stable and will return to Earth in the coming days.
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft experiences a significant setback during its critical uncrewed test flight for NASA, failing to reach the International Space Station as planned. The mission requires the capsule to fly to the station, deliver cargo, and return safely to prove its capabilities, but a malfunction with the autonomous flight-control system shortly after launch prevents the necessary orbital insertion burn.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine explains that the spacecraft does not receive the correct engine firing when it separates from the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, putting Starliner in the wrong orbit. Although the capsule misses its docking target, Boeing successfully stabilizes the vehicle in a safe orbit around Earth and insists that astronauts would be unharmed if they were on board.
Engineers plan to land the Starliner at the White Sands facility in New Mexico in the coming days, allowing the company to test several of the spacecraft's systems while it remains in space. Despite this missed objective, NASA still evaluates the data gathered during the flight as it determines whether the next mission will carry human astronauts.