NASA has announced that the uncrewed Boeing Starliner capsule could begin its return journey to Earth no earlier than September 6, following a thorough review.
This decision comes after NASA determined that propulsion system issues with the Starliner, which experienced multiple glitches within the first 24 hours of its flight to the International Space Station (ISS), were too risky for a crewed return.
Last week, NASA revealed that the two astronauts who traveled to the ISS aboard the Starliner in June would instead return to Earth early next year using a SpaceX vehicle, due to concerns about the Starliner's performance.
The return journey for the Starliner, once it begins, is expected to take approximately six hours from undocking at the ISS to landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Ground control teams will remotely guide the spacecraft through a series of maneuvers to ensure a safe undocking, re-entry, and parachute-assisted landing in the southwestern United States.
NASA noted that the Starliner has previously completed successful uncrewed entries and landings during two orbital flight tests, demonstrating its capability in these operations.