FYI: A critical thruster malfunction on Boeing’s Starliner tested NASA’s crisis management skills during a docking attempt with the International Space Station.
Boeing Starliner Faces Thruster Setback En Route to the ISS
In a mission marked by unpredictability, NASA’s collaboration with Boeing encountered a significant bump as their Starliner spacecraft lost control due to a critical thruster failure while attempting to dock with the International Space Station (ISS). Despite NASA’s previous efforts to downplay such issues, astronauts, including Butch Wilmore, who were a part of the mission, faced an acute crisis of control, showcasing the challenges space missions often entail.
Early Success Transforms into Control Loss
Initially, the Boeing Crew Test Flight appeared to unfold smoothly, with the Ula Atlas V Rocket maintaining an optimal path and the Starliner succeeding during post-separation maneuvers. However, complications arose as Starliner approached the ISS. The spacecraft’s thruster system broke down, prompting Wilmore to take manual control – a stark deviation from standard crew operations.
Remote Measures: Regaining Command
The thruster failure escalated when two additional thrusters gave out, severely limiting the spacecraft’s ability to adjust its trajectory across six degrees of freedom (6DOF). These failures got compounded when a fourth thruster failed, stripping the crew of the ability to proceed with docking. As informed by Wilmore in an interview, this turned into a dire scenario where the spacecraft couldn’t move forward or properly realign for reentry. Ground command instructed Wilmore to relinquish control so that a remote reset could be initiated. This measure successfully restored partial thruster functionality, allowing the team to regain command.
Docking Achieved and the Long Journey Home
Though Starliner finally managed to dock with the ISS, the mission was far from resolved. Undelayed return was impossible due to the spacecraft’s incapacitated pilot system. Contingency plans fell into place, contemplating potential evacuation using other spacecraft docked at the ISS if needed. Eventually, after an extended nine-month stay in space, the crew returned safely aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew 9 mission last March.
This incident underscores both the complexities of space explorations and the adept crisis management by NASA and its teams. It serves as a reminder that even carefully orchestrated missions can face unexpected challenges, requiring swift and adaptive problem-solving strategies to ensure astronaut safety and mission success.
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Donald Smith, Editor of Automotive.fyi
