NASA and Boeing Address Starliner Safety Concerns

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth unmanned due to significant technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, which forced NASA to leave astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams on the ISS. These concerns prompted NASA to arrange their return via SpaceX's Crew Dragon in February. Despite test data suggesting safety, NASA concluded uncertainties remained. Former NASA engineer Don Nelson warned that the thruster issues could result in catastrophic reentry failures. The Starliner is scheduled for undocking at 6:04 p.m. EDT, with a landing anticipated in New Mexico shortly after midnight. The mission, initially planned for a short duration, has faced multiple delays and complications since its launch in June.