Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has left the International Space Station (ISS) and is on its way back to Earth. However, its scheduled return doesn’t involve the two astronauts who initially traveled to the ISS in the capsule — Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore — due to ongoing technical issues. The capsule is expected to land in the New Mexico desert after a six-hour flight, marking another chapter in the troubled history of Boeing’s astronaut transport system.

Starliner’s Uncrewed Return

On Friday, the Boeing Starliner undocked from the ISS, pushed away by springs, and began its return to Earth. The capsule was supposed to carry Williams and Wilmore back after their mission, but technical malfunctions, including thruster failures and helium leaks, led NASA to deem the return flight too risky for human transport. As a result, Starliner is making its journey back with no astronauts aboard, leaving empty seats and unused blue spacesuits behind.

Williams, speaking to Boeing’s Mission Control, bid farewell to the spacecraft with the words, “Bring her back to Earth. Good luck,” as Starliner began its descent.

Technical Problems Prevented Crew Return

Williams and Wilmore originally planned to return to Earth in June, following a scheduled eight-day mission that would have seen Starliner carry them safely back. However, shortly after the June 5 launch, the mission was marred by several issues. Small helium leaks were discovered before launch but were deemed manageable. Yet, during the mission, five thrusters failed, sparking concerns that more malfunctions could jeopardize a safe reentry.

Although Boeing conducted numerous tests, both in space and on the ground, throughout the summer to address the thruster problems, NASA ultimately decided it was too dangerous to bring the astronauts back in the Starliner.

SpaceX to Bring Astronauts Home in 2025

With Boeing’s capsule out of commission, NASA has tasked SpaceX with returning Williams and Wilmore to Earth. The duo, now full-time members of the ISS crew, are expected to return via SpaceX’s Dragon capsule in late February 2025. This means their original eight-day mission has now extended to more than eight months in space.

SpaceX’s upcoming flight will mark its tenth crewed mission for NASA since 2020. The Dragon capsule will launch two astronauts for a half-year expedition, with two additional seats reserved for Wilmore and Williams for their return journey.