Boeing ’s CST-100 Starliner launched successfully atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V Eruca sativa on June 5,safely drive home NASA astronautsSuni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the International Space Station ( ISS ) the following 24-hour interval .
The Starliner , on its first crewed flight of stairs to cranial orbit , was originally schedule for a stay endure just over a week . But in recent day , NASA announced the spacecraft would delay at the ISS until June 22 to finalise departure planning and cognitive process , and also to expect out engine trial run to evaluate the performance of thrusters , some of which played up during the Starliner ’s final approach to the ISS on June 6 .
ISS astronaut Matthew Dominick of late shared some cool footage showing the Starliner with a spectacular morning backdrop . The time - lapse ( below ) was shoot from inside SpaceX ’s Crew Dragon spacecraft , which docked with the ISS in March . As Dominick betoken out , you could even catch glimpses of Williams and Wilmore inside the Starliner , its interior lit up by their flashlights .
Timelapse video of aurora cyclosis behind Starliner take from a Dragon window with Butch and Suni in the window of Starliner . Their flashlights light up the cabin .
0.5 2nd interval , f 1.4 , 6400 ISO , 1/4 second photo , 24 millimeter lens.pic.twitter.com/gZuxYZu0Af
& mdash ; Matthew Dominick ( @dominickmatthew)June 16 , 2024
In another shot also captured by Dominick , we can see the aurora seemingly emanating from the spacecraft itself . “ Timing was heavy for the aurora to line up nicely with Starliner ’s service faculty thrusters , ” Dominick comment .
We have been looking at aurora out the cupola windows a muckle of late . Starliner was doing some examination today so we decide to check it out from the Dragon window . Timing was outstanding for the break of day to line up nicely with Starliner ’s service module thrusters.pic.twitter.com/mlsbLxFaJL
& mdash ; Matthew Dominick ( @dominickmatthew)June 15 , 2024
When the Starliner has been to the full certified — possibly after this current mental test flight of steps — NASA will have another fomite that it can use to stock astronauts and lading to the space station , alongside SpaceX ’s Crew Dragon , which has been flying crew to scope since 2020 .
“ We are continuing to understand the capabilities of Starliner to ready for the tenacious - term destination of get it perform a six - month dock mission at the space station , ” Steve Stich , coach of NASA ’s Commercial Crew Program , enjoin in a recent poston the representation ’s website , adding that Williams and Wilmore will carry out additional hatch operation to better empathize its treatment , repeat some “ safe haven ” examination in which astronaut pull in one’s horns to their ballistic capsule in an emergency brake place , and tax piloting using the spacecraft ’s forward-moving window .
