Boeing’s Starliner returns to Earth – leaving crew behind
Al Jazeera
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will remain at the International Space Station until February 2025.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has landed in New Mexico, wrapping up a three-month test mission that faced technical issues and forced it to leave the two astronauts it carried temporarily stranded in space.
The spacecraft touched down at White Sands Space Harbor in the New Mexico desert at 04:01 GMT on Saturday. The two crew members it had flown to space – Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams – remained at the International Space Station (ISS) due to safety concerns with the craft.
They are expected to return to Earth next February.
Starliner’s six-hour trek to Earth concluded seemingly without a hitch, a NASA livestream showed, nailing the critical final phase of its mission despite earlier problems with its thrusters.
The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at about 11pm on Friday (03:00 GMT on Saturday). About 45 minutes later, it deployed a series of parachutes to slow its descent and inflated a set of airbags moments before touching down at the New Mexico spaceport at 12:01am (04:01 GMT).
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
Foreign Minister Fidan threatens military action against PKK-linked YPG group if they fail to meet Ankara’s demands.
Trump’s grandstanding covered Ukraine joining NATO, Israel’s war on Gaza, and Greenland.
Deschamps, who led France to the FIFA World Cup title in 2018, will step away after the 2026 edition in North America.
Some frightened residents were forced to abandon their cars and flee on foot from rapidly growing conflagration.
Bangkok police chief says initial investigation suggests a gunman was hired to carry out Tuesday’s shooting.
Syria’s new leadership faces an economy devastated by war and sanctions, with inflation and a decimated currency.
HMPV infections are spreading in China, while cases of flu-like disease have also been found in India and the UK.
Moscow blames Ukraine for halting gas transit and Moldova for financial spat; Chisinau suspects Russia of seeking to influence upcoming elections.
Verifying casualty figures for soldiers in the Russia-Ukraine war is difficult, as experts call it ‘a war of narratives’.
Authorities say they are investigating the cause of the crash off island located near Perth, Western Australia.
Analysts predict a tough year, as Islamabad prepares for more US belligerence towards China, the closest Pakistan ally.
President Maduro said the group included mercenaries and ‘hit men’, describing two US detainees as ‘very high level’.
Here are the key developments on the 1,049th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says change will strike $49bn in medical debt from credit reports.
Lim Kimya, 74, had refused to flee Cambodia even after former PM Hun Sen threatened to make opposition MPs lives ‘hell’.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent says fear dominates in Gaza as Israeli attacks intensify, targeting ‘humanitarian safe zone’.
Israeli forces kill 5 children in al-Mawasi as Trump warns Hamas that ‘all hell will break out’ if captives not freed.