What was the official designation for the Starliner capsule that returned uncrewed for the Crew Flight Test?
Answer
Calypso
The capsule utilized for NASA's Crew Flight Test (CFT), which was officially designated for this mission, was named Calypso. Although the mission was intended to certify the Boeing Starliner for routine crew rotation flights to the International Space Station (ISS), the completion of its mission profile involved an unusual uncrewed landing. This decision to return Calypso empty, rather than with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, was a calculated adjustment made after the crew had already achieved docking with the ISS and technical issues arose that required further ground analysis of the vehicle's systems while in orbit.
Related Questions
What was the official designation for the Starliner capsule that returned uncrewed for the Crew Flight Test?Why did NASA decide to return the Starliner without astronauts Wilmore and Williams aboard?Which propulsion system component showed issues while the Starliner was attached to the ISS?Where were Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams located while the Starliner *Calypso* was returning to Earth?What critical design capability did the uncrewed Starliner return successfully demonstrate?What was the main objective for certifying the Boeing Starliner via the Crew Flight Test (CFT)?What two distinct performance tests did the CFT sequence separate by returning *Calypso* uncrewed?How did the extended ISS stay for Wilmore and Williams contrast with standard capsule return procedures?What did the necessity of returning the Starliner empty suggest about its readiness for nominal crewed departure?What role did the ISS play when the Starliner vehicle required extended analysis time?