Source: Washington Post
“Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was supposed to remain docked to the International Space Station for about a week, is getting some extra time in space, NASA said Tuesday, as officials troubleshoot helium leaks and study why some thrusters failed during the test flight. The capsule is now scheduled to fly a pair of NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, back to Earth and land in the New Mexico desert at 4:51 a.m. Eastern time June 26, which would mark a 20-day mission. The return leg, with a fiery plunge through the atmosphere, is a key part of the test flight that will stress the spacecraft’s heat shield with temperatures reaching about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.” (06/18/24)