Boeing’s Starliner capsule docks at ISS despite helium leak

Boeing’s Starliner capsule, carrying two astronauts, successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, overcoming challenges after NASA and the aerospace firm detected helium leaks during its flight. The docking, a significant milestone following years of technical delays, occurred at approximately 1:34 p.m. EDT, about 26 hours after the spacecraft’s launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Despite the helium leaks affecting some of the spacecraft’s thrusters, Starliner’s docking was confirmed by Boeing. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are safe onboard, with backup thrusters available if needed. Their mission includes testing the spacecraft’s hatch operations and analyzing its configuration with the ISS, according to NASA.

The two astronauts will spend eight days aboard the ISS with four American astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts before returning to Earth. Boeing streamed Starliner’s docking process, showcasing the spacecraft’s journey to the ISS.

Boeing’s journey to this successful docking was fraught with delays and technical challenges. The company previously docked an unmanned Starliner capsule at the ISS in 2022, following issues with oxidizer valves in its propulsion system. In 2019, a software glitch caused a Starliner capsule to become briefly stranded in orbit.

Boeing’s first attempt to launch a crewed Starliner capsule in February 2023 was delayed until April, then pushed back to May due to technical issues. However, that launch was ultimately halted two hours before liftoff.

SpaceX, a competitor in the aerospace industry, also achieved a significant milestone on the same day, launching its Starship rocket—the largest in the world. This marked SpaceX’s first successful reentry into Earth’s atmosphere with the spacecraft. The rocket landed in the Indian Ocean, with its Super Heavy boosters landing in the Gulf of Mexico just eight minutes after launch. SpaceX had previously experienced setbacks, including two failed launches that resulted in explosions shortly after liftoff and a third launch that was lost on reentry.