Boeing’s Starliner Returns Early From Failed Mission
December 20, 2019
3:59 pm
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft won’t achieve its mission objective of docking with the International Space Station, NASA said Friday, dealing a blow to the agency’s plans to end US dependence on Russian rockets for astronaut taxi rides.
Officials said the autonomously flown capsule experienced a glitch involving its onboard clock that led it to burn too much propellant, forcing an early return to Earth on Sunday morning.
“We have made a final decision – Starliner will not dock with the @Space_Station and will return to White Sands on Sunday,” tweeted NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
The failure of the mission, a …
