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In July 2024, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams said they were confident Starliner could return them safely despite helium leaks and thruster problems. But confidence was not the same as NASA certifying the spacecraft for a crewed return: after further testing and review, NASA chose to send Starliner back empty. Wilmore and Williams ultimately returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 Dragon in March 2025.
Why did the astronauts say they were confident?
Wilmore and Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, and docked with the International Space Station the next day. The flight was intended as a short crewed test mission, expected to last eight to fourteen days. During the mission, Starliner experienced helium leaks and problems with its thrusters, prompting engineers to investigate how the propulsion system would perform during the return flight.
On July 10, Wilmore publicly said the astronauts were “absolutely confident” in the return trip and described Starliner as “truly impressive,” according to The Washington Post. Their statement expressed the crew’s confidence in the spacecraft and the work underway; it did not mean the return concerns had been resolved or that NASA had completed its safety review.
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What was NASA’s position at the time?
NASA’s June 28 program update said the agency’s goal was to return the astronauts aboard Starliner while teams tested and analyzed the thruster behavior. Ken Bowersox, NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations, said, “Our goal is to bring Butch and Suni home aboard Boeing’s spacecraft, and we are working to confirm Starliner will perform as designed to return them safely to Earth.” NASA’s statement described an objective under evaluation, not a final clearance for a crewed landing. NASA’s program update explains the status at that point.
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Why did NASA decide not to bring them back on Starliner?
After additional reviews and testing, NASA concluded that returning Starliner without its crew was the safer option. The choice reflected a difference between the astronauts’ confidence and the agency’s responsibility to decide whether the spacecraft’s condition and available test data justified carrying a crew home. NASA’s Starliner decision page describes the agency’s rationale and the uncrewed return.
On August 24, 2024, NASA announced Starliner would return without Wilmore and Williams. NASA planned for the astronauts to come home with the Crew-9 mission instead. The original short test flight thus became an extended stay aboard the station while they waited for another return vehicle.
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- BOEING CST-100 STARLINER – 1 Sheet Model with an easy difficulty level. Assembled Size: 1.97 (Diameter) x 2.17 H inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
Did Starliner bring Wilmore and Williams back?
No. Starliner returned to Earth uncrewed. Wilmore and Williams returned with SpaceX Crew-9 aboard a Dragon spacecraft in March 2025, after spending more than nine months in orbit. In an Associated Press report published March 31, 2025, both astronauts said they would fly on Starliner again. Their willingness to do so after the mission is separate from NASA’s earlier decision that an uncrewed Starliner return was the safer choice.
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How the plan changed
| When | What happened | What it meant |
|---|---|---|
| June 5–6, 2024 | Wilmore and Williams launched on Starliner and docked with the ISS. | The planned short crewed test mission began. |
| July 10, 2024 | The astronauts publicly expressed confidence in Starliner’s return. | The crew’s view was positive while propulsion issues were still being investigated. |
| August 24, 2024 | NASA announced Starliner would return without its crew. | NASA chose the lower-risk uncrewed return after review and testing. |
| March 2025 | The astronauts returned with Crew-9 on SpaceX Dragon. | Their eventual ride home was not Starliner. |
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