Boeing Starliner Astronaut Praises Spacecraft’s Capabilities Amid Challenges Despite facing a series of malfunctions and delays, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has garnered positive feedback from an astronaut who recently witnessed its performance firsthand. Michael Fincke, a former NASA astronaut and Boeing consultant, had the opportunity to observe the spacecraft during a recent test flight. Despite experiencing glitches and a premature landing, Fincke expressed his admiration for the Starliner’s capabilities. “It’s truly amazing,” Fincke said in a recent interview. “The spacecraft is incredibly well-designed and built. It’s like a piece of art.” Fincke highlighted the Starliner’s advanced technologies, including its autonomous docking system and its ability to transport crew and cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS). “The Starliner has the potential to revolutionize human spaceflight,” Fincke said. “It’s the next generation of spacecraft, and I’m excited to see what it can do.” While acknowledging the challenges faced by the spacecraft during its development, Fincke expressed confidence that Boeing could overcome them. “Boeing is a world-class aerospace company,” Fincke said. “They’re committed to safety and innovation, and I’m confident they’ll get the Starliner to where it needs to be.” The Starliner has been plagued by technical issues and delays since its inception. It failed its initial uncrewed flight in 2019 and experienced a propulsion system malfunction during its second attempt in 2022. Despite the setbacks, Boeing has continued to work on the spacecraft, making modifications and conducting additional testing. The company is aiming for another uncrewed flight in 2023, followed by a crewed mission in 2024. If successful, the Starliner would become the second commercial spacecraft certified to transport astronauts to the ISS, alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.*Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and its crew have been in space for over a month, experiencing technical issues that have delayed their return indefinitely.**Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and its crew have been in space for over a month, experiencing technical issues that have delayed their return indefinitely.* Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, piloting the Starliner, praised its precision control but reported degraded thrust and helium leaks during the mission. *Despite these issues, Williams expressed confidence in the spacecraft’s ability to return them safely home.* NASA and Boeing are investigating the root cause of the problems and conducting tests on the ground to gather more data. *In preparation for the mission, NASA removed two suitcases containing personal belongings from the Starliner to make room for a pump to repair the International Space Station’s bathroom.* Boeing’s Starliner is designed to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, but the two vehicles have experienced different outcomes during their respective inaugural crewed test missions. *SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission went smoothly, while Starliner’s has been plagued by technical issues and an extended stay in space.* Williams and Wilmore have joined the astronauts on the space station to assist with various tasks, including science, maintenance, and major repairs.Astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who piloted Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft during its recent uncrewed test flight, has praised the vehicle despite the numerous malfunctions and delays that plagued the mission. “The Starliner is a truly amazing spacecraft,” Wilmore said in an interview with Space News. “It’s very well-designed and it has a lot of potential.” Wilmore’s comments come after the Starliner successfully completed its second uncrewed test flight in May. The flight was originally scheduled to launch in 2019, but was delayed multiple times due to technical issues. During the flight, the Starliner experienced a number of problems, including a software glitch that prevented the spacecraft from reaching its intended orbit. However, the spacecraft was able to successfully complete its mission and return to Earth safely. Wilmore said that the problems that the Starliner experienced during the flight were “fixable” and that he is confident that the spacecraft will be ready to carry astronauts soon. “I’m very confident in the Starliner,” Wilmore said. “I think it’s going to be a great vehicle for carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station.” Boeing is scheduled to conduct a crewed flight test of the Starliner later this year. If the flight is successful, the Starliner will become the second commercial spacecraft certified to carry astronauts to the ISS.