Years of effort, engineering, and excitement led up to Boeing’s Starliner finally launching astronauts to the ISS. And then, it quickly turned into another episode of “How Hard Can Space Be?” Starliner, designed as NASA’s go-to for post-shuttle launches, has seen its share of setbacks, including faulty software and flammable tape. This time, things seemed promising, until engineers noticed helium leaks in the thrusters. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, scheduled for a short trip, now face extended space-time due to thruster and pressurization issues that, “Albeit manageable,” aren’t functioning as designed, said Boeing. The ticking clock of a 45-day docking limit adds pressure. While engineers scramble to resolve the issues, we’ve got a NASA-Boeing soap opera in space. Comparatively, SpaceX is over here on its 12th trip like it’s an Uber ride to orbit.
