NASA Agrees to Return Starliner Ship Without Astronauts in September

NASA's press conference on Starliner (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA – NASA held a press conference to discuss the fate of Starliner which is still trapped on the International Space Station (ISS). The meeting was held at the Johnson Space Center on August 24.

In the press conference, NASA said that they would return the Starliner spacecraft in September. However, the Boeing-made aircraft will return without Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.

The hope is that Starliner can re-enter Earth's atmosphere autonomously, controlled, and safely. After landing on Earth, NASA and Boeing will observe, study, and analyze the helium leak problem directly.

According to NASA and Boeing, the Starliner flight is still very risky so they do not want to endanger the crew of the aircraft. In addition, NASA and Boeing still want to collect test data during the return trip without causing risk.

"The decision to keep Butch and Suni on the International Space Station and bring Boeing's Starliner home without crew is the result of our commitment to safety," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Nelson explained that spaceflight always has risks, especially on flights that are still testing like Starliner. Therefore, the safest decision is to pick up Wilmore and Williams using another spacecraft.

"Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. Test flights, by their very nature, are neither safe nor routine," Nelson said. "I thank the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible, detailed work."

The two crew members on the Boeing Crewed Flight Test mission will remain on the ISS until next February. They will continue their mission as the Expedition 71/72 crew. When the Dragon spacecraft is flown to the ISS, Wilmore and Williams will return home with two crew members from the Crew-9 mission.