Once the troubleshooting was complete, a final push from the thrusters pushed it into contact with the docking port.
After a successful return from the runway and landing, Boeing will have additional work, including investigating and resolving the malfunctions that occurred during this flight. It must also complete certification of the spacecraft’s parachutes before NASA approves Starliner to carry astronauts. An independent security council that oversees NASA last week expressed concern that Boeing was not getting enough people on the program.
“The panel will monitor the situation for the foreseeable future to see what impact it could have on the existence or mitigation of any security risks,” said Security Council member David B. West.
After a manned demonstration mission that brought two of the three NASA astronauts to the space station, Starliner would begin regular operations, putting crews of four into orbit. NASA expects SpaceX and Boeing to fly one crew mission each year.
However, Boeing won’t be able to tap into non-NASA operations any time soon as SpaceX has done, launching two private missions into orbit in the past year. First, Boeing’s vehicle is significantly more expensive. In 2019, the NASA Inspector General estimated that NASA pays $90 million for each Starliner seat, while a seat on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon costs $55 million.
In addition, Boeing does not have access to the rockets needed to fly Starliner missions beyond what NASA needs. The spacecraft is currently being launched atop an Atlas 5 rocket built by United Launch Alliance. But the Atlas 5 is powered by Russian-built RD-180 engines. In 2016, Congress decided to demand that RD-180s be phased out. Boeing has enough Atlas 5 missiles to meet its obligations to NASA — the manned test flight and six operational flights — but no more.
Starliner can fly on other missiles, including Vulcan, the successor to the Atlas 5. But the Vulcan, which has yet to make its maiden flight, is not approved for manned missions.
