Buckle up, space fans! 
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has made a dramatic solo return to Earth, touching down in the sands of New Mexico early Saturday after an epic journey from the International Space Station (ISS). Despite no astronauts on board, this uncrewed landing marks a significant milestone in space exploration. 
The Starliner autonomously detached from the ISS at around 6:04 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday and gracefully landed at White Sands Space Harbor at approximately 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday. This journey wrapped up its first human spaceflight mission, even though the astronauts stayed behind. 
Originally, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard the Starliner from Florida's Cape Canaveral on June 5, arriving at the ISS a day later. Their mission was supposed to be a quick eight-day stint, but space had other plans! Due to technical glitches like helium leaks and issues with the spacecraft's reaction control thrusters, their stay extended to over three months. Talk about an unexpected space vacation! 
With safety as a top priority, NASA decided it was too risky to bring the astronauts back on the Starliner. Instead, Wilmore and Williams will catch a ride home on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in February 2025. Until then, they'll keep busy conducting cool science experiments with their crewmates from around the globe aboard the ISS. 
Boeing faced some challenges during this mission. Five of Starliner's 28 maneuvering thrusters failed during the approach to the ISS, and the propulsion system experienced helium leaks. These setbacks led to a months-long investigation costing the company a hefty $125 million, adding up to over $1.6 billion in extra costs since 2016. That's some serious cosmic cash! 
Despite the hurdles, the Starliner's successful uncrewed return is a step forward. Boeing is determined to figure out what went wrong. They'll recover the capsule and run more tests, though the faulty thrusters burned up during re-entry. Science never stops, and neither does the journey towards the stars! 
This mission highlights the exciting and competitive nature of today's space industry. With companies like SpaceX shaking things up, innovation is skyrocketing. We can't wait to see what the next chapter holds in this out-of-this-world adventure!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
