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NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams recently shared alarming details about their experience with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft during its test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024. The astronauts revealed that the spacecraft faced significant thruster failures, nearly jeopardizing their mission.
As the Starliner approached the ISS, it lost four thrusters, which are crucial for maneuvering in space. This loss of control should have mandated an abort of the docking attempt, but NASA waived its flight rules, allowing the mission to continue. Wilmore took manual control of the spacecraft, but the situation was dire. "We lost the fourth thruster. Now we've lost 6DOF control," Wilmore told Ars Technica, referring to the six degrees of freedom necessary for maneuvering in space.
Without the ability to dock or safely return to Earth, the astronauts were effectively stranded. NASA's Mission Control in Houston managed to reset the thrusters, regaining partial control and allowing the Starliner to dock with the ISS. However, the astronauts could not pilot the spacecraft back to Earth. They remained on the ISS for nine months until they returned via a SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule in March 2025.
Despite the harrowing experience, Wilmore praised the Mission Control team, calling them heroes for their quick thinking and expertise. The Starliner returned to Earth without a crew on September 7, 2024, after the astronauts' extended stay on the ISS.