The mission of the Starliner, which has stranded Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on the space station, is ending tomorrow at 3:45 am. The Starliner is being undocked from the space station and sent to Earth along with the goods. If everything goes well, this spacecraft will land on Earth by 10 o’clock.
Due to technical fault, Sunita and Butch could not return to earth from this spacecraft. This spacecraft was criticized all over the world. Now there is every possibility that NASA may cancel the remaining contract of Boeing Company’s Starliner. Due to this, Boeing Company will suffer a loss of more than 2 billion dollars i.e. Rs 16,786 crore.
Also read: NASA-SpaceX’s special plan… Two astronauts removed from Crew-9 mission for Sunita and Buch
Sunita and Butch, who reached the space station on June 5 via Starliner, did not know that they would have to remain stranded on the space station for so many days because of this faulty capsule. Three months have passed. They will have to stay on the space station for five more months. Both of them will return in February via the Dragon Crew capsule under SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.
What is the plan to separate Starliner from the space station?
As per Indian time, the Starliner capsule will be undocked from the space station at around 3.34 am on September 6. That is, it will be separated from there. If everything goes well, it will turn on its braking rockets at 8.47 am. The rocket will remain on for one minute. After this, with the help of a parachute, it will have an air-bag cushioned landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. The landing time is around 10 am.
Also read: The seat of the Starliner capsule in which Sunita Williams went to the space station was uprooted… know the reason
NASA has been working with Boeing and SpaceX for a decade
NASA has been working with Boeing and SpaceX for a decade. It had asked both the private companies to build spacecraft. Boeing lagged far behind in this matter. Whereas SpaceX’s Dragon capsule is achieving great success. The Dragon capsule makes a rotational visit to the space station every six months.
Boeing was supposed to carry out this mission in August next year… but it was hurried
Boeing’s first operational mission was to take place in August 2025. But NASA fixed the schedule earlier. Boeing also did not refuse. It decided to send the spacecraft in a hurry. While there was a problem with its propulsion system and helium tank. If Starliner successfully lands on Earth without any problem, then perhaps NASA will think about the next mission. But at the moment it does not seem so.
Also read: The Starliner capsule carrying Sunita Williams to the space station will return to Earth on this date
Know the full story of Starliner…
Boeing Defense, Space and Security Company has built this Starliner spacecraft. NASA asked Boeing to build this spacecraft under the Commercial Crew Program. Funding was provided. The model of this spacecraft was first presented in 2010. Boeing had a long association with NASA’s Apollo, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs.
In October 2011, NASA gave Boeing the green signal to build the spacecraft. It took six years to build the Starliner. It was built in 2017. Its test flights continued till 2019. But no human was involved in these flights. These were unmanned flights.
Docking with the space station could not be done in the first flight
The first unmanned orbital flight test took place on 20 December 2019. There was no human in this flight. But due to two software glitches, it reached another orbit. Docking with the space station could not happen. Two days later, it landed back at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Also read: What is NASA’s Crew-9 program, through which Sunita Williams will return to Earth in February
Maneuvering and thrusters failed on second flight
The second unmanned flight took place on 6 April 2020. The purpose was the same as the previous flight. It was to reach the space station. It was to dock. After this, it was to return. But the launch had to be postponed a bit. Preparations were made to launch it in August 2021. But then some deficiencies were found in the 13 propulsion valves of the spacecraft.
After this, Boeing rebuilt the entire spacecraft. Preparations were made for a trial flight in May 2022. On May 19, 2022, the Starliner flew again. This time two dummy astronauts were seated in it. That is, inanimate models looking like humans. But the orbital maneuvering and attitude control system thrusters failed.
Somehow, on 22 May 2022, Starliner was connected to the space station. On 25 May 2022, Starliner returned to Earth from the space station. During reentry, the spacecraft’s navigation system malfunctioned. Communication went haywire. Also, the connection with the GPS satellite was lost. But Boeing said this is normal.
Also read: SpaceX Crew Dragon: What is SpaceX’s Dragon Crew capsule that will bring Sunita Williams back to Earth?
Sunita’s third flight was getting postponed by seven…
The third manned flight was scheduled for 2017. But due to several reasons, it got delayed till July 2023. On 1 June 2023, Boeing said that we are postponing this flight. On 7 August 2023, the company said that all the problems of the spacecraft have been resolved. The next flight was scheduled for 6 May 2024. That is, this year.
But then this launch was postponed because there was some problem with the oxygen valve in the Atlas rocket. After this, the launch was postponed due to helium leak in the spacecraft. Finally, on June 5, Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore left for space with this spacecraft. They were supposed to return 8 days later on June 13, but till now they are stuck on the space station.
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