Boeing's Bumpy Mission Ends with Empty Capsule Landing

Boeing's first astronaut mission concluded with the Starliner capsule landing empty in New Mexico. NASA deemed bringing the astronauts back too risky due to thruster and helium issues. Despite testing, the mission was beset by delays and failures, resulting in the astronauts' extended stay on the ISS until February 2023.

Boeing's first astronaut mission concluded Friday night as an empty Starliner capsule landed in New Mexico, leaving two test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, in space until next year.

Six hours after leaving the International Space Station, the capsule descended at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range, ending a mission plagued by delays, thruster failures, and helium leaks.

Boeing assured it was safe to bring the astronauts home, but NASA chose SpaceX for their return, delaying until February 2023. Cameras captured the capsule's landing, and Boeing's Mission Control expressed satisfaction with the outcome.