Boeing's Starliner has made history as the first spacecraft to launch with crew and return to Earth without them. The spacecraft, part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, launched on June 5, 2024, with astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. After docking with the ISS, technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster problems, led NASA to bring Starliner back uncrewed. The spacecraft landed at White Sands, New Mexico, on September 7, 2024. Williams and Wilmore will stay aboard the ISS and return on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The mission underscores the challenges in human spaceflight.

Boeing's Starliner space capsule landed safely in New Mexico on Saturday after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). The capsule returned without NASA test pilots Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who will remain on the ISS until February. Technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks, prevented the astronauts from returning in the capsule. Despite the challenges, the Starliner completed its six-hour return journey successfully, landing at White Sands Space Harbour. 

Scientists have discovered 1,700 ancient virus species, including 1,200 previously unknown, in melting glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau. The viruses, frozen for 41,000 years, were found in ice cores from the Guliya Glacier. Researchers aim to understand how these ancient viruses adapted to past climate changes, hoping to predict how modern viruses may respond to ongoing environmental shifts. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, provides insights into the connection between viruses and climate change, shedding light on potential impacts on modern viruses.

The Boeing Starliner capsule departed the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, heading back to Earth without its crew after facing safety issues. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, initially set to be on board, stayed behind at the ISS, where they will remain until next year. The capsule undocked smoothly, with springs gently pushing it away from the station. The return flight to Earth is expected to take six hours, with a nighttime landing in the New Mexico desert. Before departure, Williams wished Boeing’s Mission Control good luck. This marks another significant step for Boeing's troubled Starliner program.

NASA has prepared an emergency plan for astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore during their ISS mission. In extreme situations, they can evacuate using temporary seats with straps, created from space station items and configured in Crew Dragon’s cargo area. NASA also tested airflow for proper ventilation and trained the astronauts in hand signals for communication. The seats were built to ensure safe landing with acceptable body loads. Meanwhile, Williams and Wilmore have participated in over 42 experiments, logging 100+ hours in science and research during their ISS stay.

A small asteroid, named 2024 RW1, entered Earth's atmosphere over Luzon Island in the Philippines, producing a bright green fireball with an orange tail before burning up. Discovered just hours earlier by astronomers in Arizona, this celestial event captivated space enthusiasts worldwide. NASA confirmed the asteroid’s entry, noting that it is only the ninth asteroid to be detected before impact. Videos of the spectacle were widely shared on social media, showing the glowing green flame lighting up the sky, a sight recorded by NASA's Planetary Defence Coordination Office.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been preparing Boeing's Starliner spacecraft for its upcoming return to Earth. The space veterans focused on loading cargo and conducting final inspections aboard the International Space Station (ISS). In a strategic move to optimize space, they removed the crew seats to make room for additional cargo. Following this, the astronauts conducted a thorough photographic survey of the capsule to ensure all systems were in proper working order. The Starliner is scheduled to depart the ISS on Friday for its uncrewed journey back to Earth, marking a key step in NASA's space missions.

NASA addressed reports of "strange noises" heard by astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, currently docked at the International Space Station (ISS). Wilmore first reported the pulsating sounds from the spacecraft's speaker system. NASA explained that the noise resulted from an audio configuration issue between the ISS and Starliner. The agency assured that the feedback had no technical impact on the crew, the spacecraft, or station operations. Starliner is scheduled to undock from the ISS on September 7, with Williams and Wilmore returning to Earth in February 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

NASA's decision to return the Boeing Starliner to Earth uncrewed, prioritizing astronaut safety, leaves astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore aboard the International Space Station until 2025. Starliner, which launched on June 5, faced technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster problems, prompting NASA to plan for Williams and Wilmore to return aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025. The uncrewed Starliner will land at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, on September 7. NASA's live coverage of the undocking and landing will be available on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency's website.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore reported strange, pulsating sounds from the Starliner spacecraft while aboard the ISS. The noise, likened to submarine sonar, puzzled both the crew and NASA engineers. This incident adds to the Starliner’s ongoing issues, which have kept the astronauts on the ISS longer than planned. The spacecraft is set to return to Earth without a crew on September 6, 2024. NASA plans to bring the astronauts back in February 2025 using a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The source of the mysterious sounds remains unknown.