Boeing's Starliner capsule faces thruster trouble but still manages to rendezvous with the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in the company's astronaut flight debut. (NASA via AP)
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- Boeing's new capsule successfully docks at the International Space Station despite thruster issues.
- NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams complete a dramatic mission, culminating in the capsule's attachment to the space station.
- The Starliner capsule experiences thruster problems, including helium leaks and malfunctions, but astronauts manage to overcome challenges.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Boeing’s new capsule arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday, delayed by last-minute thruster trouble that almost derailed the docking for this first test flight with astronauts.
The 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) linkup over the Indian Ocean culminated more than a day of continuing drama for Boeing’s astronaut flight debut carrying NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Starliner Will be at the Space Station for at Least a Week
Boeing plans to keep Starliner at the space station for at least eight days before guiding it to a landing in the western U.S.
“Nice to be attached to the big city in the sky,” Wilmore said once the hooks between the two spacecraft were tight.
Williams entered the space station first, dancing on the way in to music. Wilmore followed, snapping his fingers. They embraced the seven space station residents.
“It was such a great welcome, a little dance party,” said Williams. “That’s the way to get things going.”
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Starliner Had Helium Leak
The Starliner capsule already had one small helium leak when it rocketed into orbit with two NASA astronauts Wednesday. Boeing and NASA managers were confident they could manage the propulsion system despite the problem and that more leaks were unlikely. But just hours into the flight, two more leaks cropped up and a third was discovered after docking.
Later, five of the capsule’s 28 thrusters went down. The astronauts managed to restart three of them, providing enough safety margin to proceed. By then, Starliner had passed up the first docking opportunity and circled the world for an extra hour alongside the station before moving in.
The thrusters problems were not related to the helium leaks, NASA’s commercial crew program manager Steve Stich said after the docking.
Related Story: Boeing Launches NASA Astronauts for the First Time After Years of Delay
Earlier in the day, before the thrusters malfunctioned, Boeing spokesman Jim May said the helium leaks posed no safety issues for the astronauts or the mission.
Helium is used to pressurize the fuel lines of Starliner’s thrusters, which are essential for maneuvering. Before liftoff, engineers devised a plan to work around any additional leaks in the system. A faulty rubber seal, no bigger than a shirt button, is believed responsible for the original leak.
After the space shuttles retired, NASA hired Boeing and SpaceX to ferry astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX’s taxi service began in 2020. Boeing was supposed to start around the same time, but was held up for years by safety concerns and other troubles.
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