The Boeing company has cut short the demonstration flight with no crew on board of its new astronaut capsule.
The Starliner launched successfully on its Atlas rocket from Florida, but then suffered technical problems that prevented it from taking the right path to the International Space Station.
It appears the capsule burnt too much fuel as it fired its thrusters, leaving an insufficient supply to complete its planned mission.
Starliner came back to Earth on Sunday.
The landing completes an abbreviated Orbital Flight Test for the company that still meets several mission objectives for NASA’s Commercial Crew program. The Starliner spacecraft launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. 20 December from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The mission is the first US orbital space capsule to land on American soil rather than in an ocean.
Via EPA-EFE/BILL INGALLS / NASA / HANDOUT
