Boeing's Starliner capsule has been preparing for its uncrewed return to Earth following a lengthy and troubled test flight that lasted 92 days, significantly longer than the originally planned week-long mission. Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams remained silent as the hatch was sealed, signaling the end of this chapter. The Starliner is set to undock from the International Space Station and is programmed to execute a reentry that involves firing its braking rockets before descending to a gentle landing at White Sands, New Mexico, aided by parachutes and airbags.

In a twist of fate, Wilmore and Williams won't be returning to Earth aboard the Starliner but instead will catch a ride home next February on a SpaceX Crew Dragon, scheduled for launch later this month. Wilmore and Williams will have spent a total of 262 days in space by the time they return. As the crew tidied up the Starliner’s interior, Williams expressed a mix of emotions about the closure of their mission, acknowledging the team's effort to prepare the capsule for a safe landing.

Initially confident that the Starliner would perform well, Boeing encountered significant challenges when helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters arose during the capsule’s rendezvous with the space station. Despite extensive analysis and reassurances from Boeing’s engineers who believed the issues were understood and manageable, NASA harbored concerns over the reliability of the capsule's propulsion system, especially in critical flight maneuvers.

NASA's leadership, including Associate Administrator Jim Free, ultimately disagreed with Boeing's assessment, emphasizing the importance of caution in a space environment where margins for error are slim. Norm Knight, director of flight operations at the Johnson Space Center, reinforced the notion that maintaining exact trajectory and stability during reentry is essential for crew safety.