The Starliner spacecraft, a vacant vessel, safely returned to Earth by landing at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico yesterday. This marked the completion of Starliner’s mission to and from the International Space Station.
Two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who traveled aboard Starliner, will continue to stay at the International Space Station until next year. This decision was made after Starliner experienced a helium leak issue, prompting NASA to prioritize safety and arrange for the astronauts to return to Earth on SpaceX Dragon in the coming year.
Starliner is one of two private spacecraft projects under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, aiming to develop reusable spacecraft for crew transportation services funded by NASA. The other project is SpaceX Dragon.
TLDR: Starliner successfully returned to Earth, completing its mission to the International Space Station, with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams set to return on SpaceX Dragon due to safety concerns.
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