NASA and Boeing successfully returned the uncrewed Starliner spacecraft to Earth on September 6, concluding a three-month flight test to the International Space Station. The spacecraft landed at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico at 10:01 p.m. MDT.
NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate, Ken Bowersox, praised the teamwork behind the mission, saying, “Even though it was necessary to return the spacecraft uncrewed, NASA and Boeing learned an incredible amount about Starliner in the most extreme environment possible.”
The flight test, which began on June 5, was the first time astronauts launched aboard the Starliner. Although a crewed test flight is required for certification, NASA will review all mission-related data before proceeding.
Starliner will now be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for inspection and processing. The spacecraft’s return marks an important milestone for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station and low Earth orbit.
The program is already providing additional research time and increasing opportunities for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed, including helping prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-boeing-welcome-starliner-spacecraft-to-earth-close-mission/