WASHINGTON, Sept 8 – The uncrewed Boeing Starliner successfully landed in New Mexico late Friday after departing six hours earlier from the International Space Station, United Press International (UPI) reported.
The capsule left behind two astronauts — Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams — who must now remain in the station until February for a return home on a SpaceX capsule. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) decided problems with Starliner’s thrusters and leaking helium made it too risky of a return with humans.
Starliner landed at White Sands Space Harbor at 10.01 pm MDT. Ground crews welcomed the capsule with plans to return it to Florida where it launched on June 6.
On June 5, the Boeing spacecraft took off on its first crewed flight, transporting NASA Wilmore and Williams to the space station.
However, as it approached the orbiting laboratory, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and noted malfunctions with its reaction control thrusters.
