Boeing Starliner spacecraft plagued with issues, a 5th helium leak found

This time, Boeing's issues transcend its earthly operations.

Boeing is facing another set of safety issues, but this time it transcends earthly operations.

The company has shared that its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is currently docked at the International Space Station (ISS) and is suffering a fifth helium leak in its propulsion system.

In a statement earlier this week, NASA wrote that spacecraft teams are examining “what impacts, if any, five small leaks in the service module helium manifolds would have on the remainder of the mission.”

The news follows what can only be called a dicey start to the mission. After failed back-to-back launch attempts, the Starliner capsule finally launched last week. Once approaching the space station, it missed its first docking opportunity on June 6 due to technical issues.

After targeting another docking window, five of the spacecraft thrusters failed during its approach, forcing astronaut Butch Wilmore to take manual control of the craft for a period of time, before four of the thrusters were recovered and the capsule was returned to autonomous mode.

A week later, there was some panic after NASA accidentally broadcast a simulation of astronauts being treated for decompression sickness, prompting speculation of an emergency in posts on social media. In a live YouTube channel broadcast, a female voice could be heard telling crew members to “get commander back in his suit,” check his pulse and provide him with oxygen, later saying his prognosis was “tenuous.”