On September 6, 2024, the BBC reported that the United States' Starliner spacecraft successfully detached from the International Space Station, completing an uncrewed return mission to Earth and landing safely.
This news relieved Boeing and temporarily alleviated NASA's concerns, but the most affected were still the two astronauts stranded in space.
Originally, they were full of dreams, hoping to experience a space journey before retirement, but instead found themselves trapped in space, unable to return home, watching as relevant agencies made optimistic promises time and again—truly a situation of helplessness and regret.
However, just when Boeing and NASA thought the matter was resolved, many netizens raised doubts about the incident.
Observers noted that the returning spacecraft had burn marks identical to those from two years ago.
While the same marks could be a coincidence, their specific locations and lengths were almost identical, leading to confusion.
Consequently, some began to suspect that the returning spacecraft was not a new one, but rather the one from two years prior. Were Boeing and NASA trying to cover up the truth?
So, what is the truth? How will the two stranded astronauts return to Earth?
Before discussing this incident further, it's necessary to review the sequence of events.
NASA commissioned Boeing to manufacture the Starliner spacecraft to send two astronauts into space.
However, this space journey was fraught with danger. During the test flight phase, the Boeing spacecraft encountered multiple issues, including valve failures, helium leaks, and launch sequence errors.
Despite these various malfunctions, Boeing maintained that they would not affect the mission, ultimately sending the astronauts into space as planned.
Unfortunately, after docking with the International Space Station, the spacecraft experienced a series of issues, including helium leaks, disrupting the plan for a return after just a few days. The two astronauts were forced to wait in space, with no hope of returning home in sight.
According to reports from Observer.com, the Starliner experienced a total of seven helium leaks during this period.
Even though Boeing repeatedly assured that helium supplies were sufficient and that they would expedite rescue measures, public doubts persisted.
Helium is crucial for flight; excessive leaks can lead to insufficient internal pressure, affecting all functions.
If helium cannot be secured at critical moments, the Starliner carrying the astronauts could face serious accidents on the way back, with dire consequences.
Should an accident occur, the loss would not only be the lives of the two astronauts but also a devastating blow to the reputations of both Boeing and NASA.
Perhaps realizing this, Boeing and NASA decided to allow the Starliner to return independently after making adjustments, rather than risking a crewed return.
Although the Starliner ultimately landed successfully, the future for those two astronauts remains uncertain.
They were supposed to return aboard the Starliner, but now they can only wait in space for rescue from relevant agencies.
According to Global Times reports, NASA selected Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to develop spacecraft to bring astronauts back from the International Space Station.
If they had chosen SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, they might have to wait until February next year to return home, which poses a significant challenge for astronauts who are already of retirement age.
As a result, netizens expressed deep concern for their situation.
Boeing's Starliner being stranded in space due to malfunctions, leading to the plight of the two astronauts, can indeed be regarded as one of the biggest aviation accidents in NASA's history.
Currently, Boeing finds itself at the center of public scrutiny. They must not only find a way to bring the astronauts back as soon as possible but also respond to public doubts.
In the September 6 return mission, keen-eyed netizens spotted a prominent burn mark on the side of the Starliner, stretching from the bottom to the top and quite noticeable.
Even more unsettling is that a similar burn mark appeared on another spacecraft launched by Boeing back in 2022.
Does this mean that the spacecraft this time is not the true Starliner but rather an old vessel used by Boeing to restore its image?
While such speculation circulates online, the reality may not be as complicated as people think.
Boeing has already faced significant failures on this project, and any dishonesty on this issue would be tantamount to self-sabotage.
The current situation indicates that while the Starliner successfully reached space, it demonstrates launch capability but lacks the ability for a safe crewed return.
This status, compared to China's space technology, highlights a clear lag for the U.S. in the field of aerospace research. Boeing has always prided itself on technological leadership but is now facing major setbacks.
So why do both spacecraft exhibit similar burn marks upon return?
Many researchers believe this could be due to defects in a certain heat shield tile on Boeing's spacecraft, allowing high-temperature airflow to leak in from the edge, causing burn marks.
This suggests that Boeing may not have addressed this issue in two years, raising public doubts about its technological capabilities.
However, the truth about this incident remains unclear, and Boeing has not provided an explanation.
What is certain is that the Starliner, knowing it had faults, still insisted on flying into space, which is clearly extremely irresponsible regarding the safety of the two astronauts.
Although the astronauts stated in interviews that they felt relatively at ease in space, it is inevitable that what was originally a brief space journey has turned into a months-long wait, a torment that can be easily imagined.
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