Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is shown docked with the International Space Station in orbit above Egypt's Mediterranean coast on June 13, 2024.
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NASA and boeing are further expanding the first crewed Starliner flight, but have not yet set a new target date for returning the capsule to Earth, the organizations announced Friday.
Boeing's Starliner “Calypso” capsule will remain at the International Space Station until next month as the company and NASA conduct further ground testing. Boeing's crewed flight test represents the first time Starliner has carried people, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Officials say the Starliner team is beginning a test campaign of the spacecraft's propulsion technology at White Sands, New Mexico, tests that will be completed before Starliner returns to Earth.
“We think the tests could last a couple of weeks. We're trying to replicate the flight conditions as best we can on the ground,” NASA commercial crew manager Steve Stich said during a news conference.
Before its June 5 launch, Boeing and NASA had planned for Starliner to remain in space for nine days. As of Friday, Starliner's flight had already totaled 24 days, and the number is still increasing.
Despite the extended stay on the ISS, officials stressed that Starliner can safely return at any time in the event of an emergency. NASA and Boeing say the delay in testing is solely due to the need to gather more data on the spacecraft's performance, particularly its propulsion system.
“I want to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space,” Stich said.
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The Starliner crew flight test represents an important last step before NASA certifies Boeing to carry crews on six-month operational missions. However, like the two previous uncrewed space flights, the Starliner is encountering several problems during the mission.
Starliner was once considered competition for SpaceX's Dragon, which has made 12 crewed trips to the ISS in the last four years. However, several setbacks and delays have made Starliner an alternative for NASA, which plans for SpaceX and Boeing to transport astronauts on alternate flights.
