Safety Concerns and Uncertainties
As NASA prepares to undock Boeing's Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS) for its return to Earth, concerns are mounting about the mission's safety. Retired NASA engineer Don Nelson has issued a stark warning, suggesting that the spacecraft could lose control during its de-orbit and pose a risk to populated areas.
Nelson, who contributed to numerous NASA missions throughout his career, argues that the only safe option is to deorbit Starliner into the Pacific Ocean, using a "death dive" trajectory to avoid any risk of impact over land. He criticizes NASA's safety panel for remaining silent on the issue, expressing concern that the current plan could endanger lives.
In an interview, Nelson elaborated on his concerns, warning that an imperfect deorbit burn could cause Starliner to break up during reentry. If that happens, debris from the spacecraft could fall over populated areas. He questions the logic behind deeming Starliner unsafe for a crew return while still planning to bring the vehicle back uncrewed.
Nelson's concerns stem from the spacecraft's history of technical issues, particularly with its propulsion system. The Starliner, originally meant to return two NASA astronauts to Earth, was plagued by these problems, leading NASA to abandon those plans and schedule the astronauts' return on a SpaceX mission instead.
Despite the lack of crew aboard, Nelson argues that the spacecraft still presents significant risks. He fears that the deorbit burn could cause the seals in Starliner's thrusters to overheat and fail, potentially leaving the spacecraft trapped in orbit or causing it to break up during reentry.
The Starliner mission has been another blow to Boeing, which has struggled with technical setbacks and financial losses in recent years. The spacecraft, developed under NASA's Commercial Crew Program alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon, has experienced numerous delays and technical problems.
Nelson attributes Starliner's issues to a "buddy-buddy" relationship between NASA and Boeing, as well as inadequate leadership. He emphasizes that SpaceX's Crew Dragon is currently the only viable option for safely returning astronauts from the ISS.
As NASA prepares to undock Starliner from the ISS, there are growing concerns over the spacecraft's ability to safely complete its return to Earth. For many involved in the mission, it will be a tense moment as they wait to see whether Boeing's troubled spacecraft can successfully land without incident.