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Bricking the International Space Station

Boeing Starliner Could Brick ISS Docking Port If Crew Abandons It

NASA is contemplating bringing astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williamshome from the International Space Station on a SpaceX Crew Dragon and flying the Boeing Starliner back empty. There’s just one problem: Boeing removed the Starliner’s autonomous undocking feature from its software. The aerospace manufacturer wants to push a software update to the spacecraft in orbit, but NASA fears it could do more damage.

It’s been over two months since the Boeing Crew Flight Test launched from Cape Canaveral. Multiple technical issues with the Boeing Starliner have drastically elongated the eight-day mission, with no return date in sight. NASA planned to decide whether the crew should fly the spacecraft back last week….