Boeing's Starliner Returns Safely To Earth, NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Not Onboard

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft successfully landed in White Sands Space Harbour in New Mexico (USA) at 12:01 (local time) on Saturday (September 7). It was initially to bring NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) but it returned without the astronauts, who are still aboard the ISS. Starliner left the ISS on Friday to return to Earth.

When it landed at the White Sands, Starliner made a gentle landing as parachutes slowed the descent and airbags provided protective cushion.

NASA had previously deemed it too risky for the spacecraft to carry astronauts back to Earth. Boeing has received a lot of flak after Starliner developed helium leaks and issues with its thrusters as it carried Williams and Wilmore to ISS. It was to be about a week-long space mission for the astronauts. But now they are 'stranded' on the ISS following issues with the Starliner. NASA, wary of Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters in past, has decided to bring them back in 2025.

The Starliner issue

Boeing's Starliner programme has been beset with delays and failures over the last decade and the aerospace major has received criticism with many saying that the issues plaguing its commercial airplane production have spilled over to its space division.

There are major concerns about Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's health as the astronauts continue to stay aboard the ISS in zero-gravity. Although there isn't any danger to their health at the moment, it remains a fact that prolonged stay in space negatively affects human health with issues like muscle and bone loss being one of the several serious ailments.