Boeing Starliner returns to earth without astronauts | BBC News

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has completed its journey back to Earth - but the astronauts it was supposed to be carrying remain behind on the International Space Station.

The empty craft travelled in autonomous mode after undocking from station.

The capsule, which suffered technical problems after it launched with Nasa's Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board, was deemed too risky to take the astronauts home.

They will instead return in a SpaceX Crew Dragon, but not until February - extending an eight-day stay on the ISS to eight months.

#Boeing #InternationalSpaceStation #BBCNews

[treelonmusk]

Imagine going to space for 8 days but instead have to stay for another 8 months

[JandiFX]

Reporter: Where are the astronauts?
NASA: it was a good landing 😐

[ewokpants]

8 months away from most of humanity in a temperature and humidity regulated environment? pfft...sign me up - that sounds like a dream vacation.

[sukhkaur]

It's like being delivered empty amazon shipment while it says item successfully reached its destination.

[tabularasa]

I'd feel better going to space in a 1989 Vauxhall cavalier than anything made by Boeing .

[al]

at this point I don't think the current astronauts in the ISS even want to have their lunch delivered by Boeing.

[Consfaracy]

Thats one hell of a bonus pay owed after that extension to contract

[ghostm]

NASA : "The spacecraft broke, we failed to bring back the astronauts, but it all was a huge success."

[MrStirstir]

So NASA thinks it’s SAFER to leave someone in OUTER SPACE than travel on a Boeing space craft. That’s telling.

[carlospeixoto]

Planet earth is blue and there's nothing I can do.

[FireflySpeedshop]

Spectacularly, Boeing is doing a better job of promoting SpaceX, than SpaceX themselves.. and considering how well SpaceX show off their, frankly mind blowing achievements, that is saying something…

I’d love Boeing to step up, rather than cash out, like they usually do, it seems nowadays.

[TheAlchaemist]

For those who don't know, they had to update the software to depart without crew because they had not anticipated this possibility and they had REMOVED that capability which was present in the previous uncrewed tests. And that was not a trivial thing to do because they had to retest everything which took weeks. Now imagine if ANYTHING catastrophic had happened to Starliner while attached to ISS and they would have been unable to detach it at once... it is a level of negligence out of the charts.

[jimmykovalak]

Nothing to be embarrassed about. They played it safe and smart.

[Tristanks]

That title is SOO INCREDIBLY MISLEADING to those who don't know about this

[christopherfriedberg]

Any data on the atmosphere INSIDE the module during its return would be greatly appreciated. Full transparency please.

[clairee]

“Helium leaks”

“both of them are in good spirits”

I’m sure they are. Probably high as a kite 😂

[tonymarsh]

Well at least it didn't have a door blow off

[eugenechaks]

Boeng Starliner the home of more painload and less payload

[dennish]

Just as a joke, the first person who opened the capsule hatch should have stepped back and said, "Oh my God! They're GONE!"
😊

[mphmtb]

This is actually great news. Its back so they can fix the issues. Not only that but with the issues it did work. Just like when starship exploded everyone cheered as they had learnt a lot.