Boeing's crew spacecraft Starliner will stay docked with the International Space Station into August, NASA confirmed on Thursday, as the mission remains on hold while the company and agency study problems that arose early in the flight.
Starliner capsule "Calypso," which carried NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the ISS, has now been in space 50 days and counting.
NASA needs to conduct a review that won't happen until the first week of August, Stich said, and only after that review will the agency schedule Starliner's return.
Currently, the organizations are analyzing the thruster that was tested in White Sands and this weekend expect to have the Starliner capsule conduct test firings while docked with the ISS.
Stich acknowledged again that NASA has contingency plans in case the agency determines that Starliner should return without Wilmore and Williams — alternatives that include using SpaceX's Dragon capsule to bring back NASA's astronauts.
Persons:
Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, Steve Stich, we're, " Stich, Stich, Williams
Organizations:
International, Station, NASA, Boeing
Locations:
White Sands , New Mexico, White Sands