Boeing's Starliner capsule, on its first-ever astronaut mission, is performing well enough to remain in orbit beyond the initially planned 45-day limit, according to NASA. The spacecraft, launched on June 5, is currently docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on an indefinite mission extension.

Despite the success of the mission, both NASA and Boeing are investigating the issues encountered by Starliner's reaction control system (RCS) thrusters during the approach to docking with the ISS on June 6. Additionally, the capsule has experienced several helium leaks. To understand these anomalies, Starliner will stay in space until further testing and analyses can be conducted.

While testing in orbit on June 15 failed to identify the root cause of the issues, progress has been made, with the stabilization of the helium leaks and the determination that all but one of the malfunctioning thrusters can be used during the return to Earth. Starliner boasts a total of 28 thrusters in its RCS, with five of them misbehaving. However, only one thruster will be taken offline during undocking.

The extended time in orbit will allow the NASA and Boeing teams to thoroughly investigate and address the problems encountered. This is vital for making any necessary design changes to the service module as Starliner prepares for future missions, including potential six-month rotations to the ISS as early as 2025.

To allow for sufficient testing on the ground, NASA has decided to keep Starliner docked for more than the initially planned 45-day limit. While a specific extension duration has not been decided, Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, mentioned that the spacecraft is rated to stay as long as 210 days on orbit once operational missions commence.

The battery performance of Starliner has been a focus of concern for NASA, as it is only the third mission for the spacecraft and its first with astronauts. However, the batteries have demonstrated no signs of degradation during the flight. Starliner is equipped with 12 different batteries, which underwent rigorous ground testing before the mission. The current mission, known as Crew Flight Test (CFT), was initially scheduled to last approximately 10 days and features NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both highly experienced Navy test pilots.

The flexibility built into the CFT allows for unexpected challenges to be explored in space. Additional ground testing will take place at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to replicate the conditions under which the RCS thrusters were operated, particularly during the docking procedures.

As NASA and Boeing continue their investigations and testing, the extended mission of Starliner signifies a significant step forward in the development of crewed missions to the International Space Station.