NASA’s latest mission with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, nicknamed ‘Calypso’, has successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), overcoming new technical hurdles along the way. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who embarked on this historic journey from Cape Canaveral, Florida, are now aboard the ISS after a 27-hour trip marked by unexpected challenges including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters. Despite these issues, the mission team was able to troubleshoot and proceed with the docking, demonstrating the spacecraft’s resilience and the effectiveness of the crew’s training. This mission is a crucial step towards certifying the Starliner for regular crewed missions, positioning Boeing as a viable alternative alongside SpaceX in providing transport services to the ISS. The astronauts are slated to spend approximately one week conducting various scientific experiments and system checks aboard the ISS. The Starliner is anticipated to return to Earth, landing in the western United States.
Key points
- The CST-100 Starliner spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS despite experiencing helium leaks and thruster issues.
- NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will conduct tests and scientific experiments aboard the ISS for about a week.
- Boeing joins SpaceX as a NASA service provider for astronaut transport to the ISS.
