NASA officials said Friday the return of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft would be delayed indefinitely as engineers reviewed data from the inbound flight to the International Space Station. The vehicle reportedly suffered a number of small helium leaks and experienced issues with five (of 28) thrusters as it docked with the station in early June.
While the mission was Boeing's first successful crewed launch of the Starliner, the overall effort endured a long series of delays (see timeline). Among other challenges, the first crewed mission was scrubbed in June 2023 after inspectors found flammable tape used aboard the spacecraft, while the current mission was delayed by a month due to a faulty relief valve.
SpaceX, operating under the same NASA contract awarded in 2014, first transported astronauts to the ISS in 2020. The vehicle is rated to stay in outer space for 45 days—a window that began ticking June 6.
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