Lost in Orbit, Found in Resolve: Wilmore’s quest to resurrect Starliner

The Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) was meant to be a triumph—a bold step toward certifying the spacecraft as NASA’s second trusted ride to the International Space Station (ISS). Instead, it became a saga of resilience, reflection, and redemption, with NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, the mission’s commander, at its heart. From a troubled launch on June 5, 2024, to a reflective press conference on March 31, 2025, Wilmore has navigated technical setbacks and shared accountability, all while steering Starliner toward a hopeful future. With a critical meeting with Boeing leadership set for April 2, 2025, his story is one of perseverance against the odds—and a spacecraft’s shot at a second chance.

The CFT mission kicked off with high hopes but quickly hit turbulence. Five helium leaks in the propulsion system and multiple reaction control system (RCS) thruster malfunctions plagued Starliner’s rendezvous with the ISS, turning an eight-day test into a three-month odyssey for Wilmore and fellow astronaut Sunita Williams. The spacecraft returned uncrewed on September 7, 2024, leaving the duo stranded—a decision Wilmore addressed from orbit on September 13, 2024, during a press call. “We just simply ran out of time,” he said, explaining that insufficient testing windows forced their extended stay. Yet, even then, he voiced confidence in Boeing’s commitment, stating, “Boeing’s on board with that. We’re all on board with that.”

That confidence held firm through their return on March 18, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon capsule, and crystallized during a press conference at Johnson Space Center on March 31, 2025. Standing beside Williams, Wilmore didn’t shy from the mission’s failures. “I’ll start and point the finger and I’ll blame me,” he said, musing that sharper questions during prep might have changed the outcome. “All the way up and down the chain, we were responsible, we all own this,” he added, weaving NASA and Boeing into a tapestry of shared accountability. His introspection wasn’t defeat—it was a call to action, paired with a pledge: he and Williams would fly Starliner again once its kinks are ironed out.

Starliner’s woes didn’t start with CFT. Years of delays and a botched 2019 uncrewed test flight had already dented Boeing’s credibility, making the crewed mission a make-or-break moment. The helium leaks compromised fuel line pressure, while thruster issues threw off precision maneuvering—problems that demanded not just fixes but a deep dive into their causes. NASA and Boeing are now locked in rigorous ground testing, racing to certify Starliner for regular ISS rotations. For NASA, it’s about redundancy alongside SpaceX; for Boeing, it’s a reputation on the line, battered by aerospace and aviation scrutiny alike.

Wilmore’s next move comes April 2, 2025, when he and Williams meet Boeing’s brass to dissect the flight’s failures and chart its fixes. This sit-down, just two days after his latest press conference, is a linchpin—bridging the astronauts’ firsthand grit with engineering solutions. It’s a moment nine months in the making since launch, and two weeks since their splashdown, poised to shape Starliner’s fate as of this date, March 31, 2025.

Despite the rocky road, Wilmore and Williams see promise in Starliner’s bones. They’ve lauded the NASA-Boeing team’s relentless troubleshooting, a lifeline during their ISS stint. That faith mirrors spaceflight’s ethos: setbacks are lessons, not finales. The stakes are cosmic—redundant ISS access for NASA, a legacy lifeline for Boeing. As Wilmore’s leadership anchors this saga, Starliner teeters on a precipice. With fixes in the works and a team undeterred, its next chapter could flip the script—from stranded to soaring, one thruster, one seal, one steadfast commander at a time.

(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)