Boeing’s Starliner Travels Back to Earth Empty

“And we just heard confirmation that the umbilicals are retracting and hooks are beginning to drive.” “Separation confirmed. Starliner is now backing away from station and starting its return to Earth. Starliner’s thrusters will then complete two short firings to gradually increase the separation speed to help the spacecraft carefully move away from the orbiting lab.” “The vehicle is now about two meters away from the International Space Station. At the time of undocking, Starliner and the International Space Station were flying approximately 260 statute miles over central China.” “During this burn sequence, Starliner’s thrusters will perform a series of 12 short firings. The entire sequence takes about five minutes to complete and allows Starliner to quickly break out to outside the approach ellipsoid, or A.E. And about four minutes into the burn sequence, Starliner will exit the keep-out sphere, or the K.O.S.” “We have one more burn to go, but they have confirmed that Starliner has crossed the keep-out sphere, or the K.O.S., which is an imaginary 200-meter sphere centered on the International Space Station that helps flight controllers here on the ground monitor the arrival and departure of visiting vehicles.” “Station, Houston, Space to Ground 2, Starliner has exited the keep-out sphere.”