Boeing officials remain quiet after return of Starliner spacecraft

Boeing officials have been noticeably absent at NASA briefings and have issued few statements about the Starliner spacecraft's tumultuous test flight.

Just over an hour after Boeing’s Starliner capsule made its uncrewed return to Earth, NASA convened a standard post-landing briefing to discuss the end of the tumultuous test flight.

Conspicuously absent from that event early Saturday morning: any official from Boeing.

In fact, the last time Boeing representatives participated in a news briefing about the Starliner mission was in late July. At that time, the capsule had already spent weeks longer than expected at the International Space Station due to hardware issues, and questions were swirling about whether the two NASA astronauts who rode the Boeing-made vehicle to orbit could safely return in it.

NASA officials have said they are committed to working closely with Boeing, but the company’s absence from events and its limited public statements have raised questions about Boeing’s commitment to transparency and the future of the Starliner program.

Boeing did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the company’s change in public visibility.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/boeing-officials-quiet-return-starliner-spacecraft-rcna170601

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