BOEING yesterday prepared to bring its Starliner capsule back to Earth, following its successful docking at the International Space Station (ISS) days ago.

It was the final step in the test flight, which sought to prove whether Boeing's unmanned space vehicle will be a viable option for astronauts being ferried to and from the ISS and, one day, Mars.

While there was an early issue in two of Starliner's thrusters - crucial for stabilising in orbit - the second attempt to reach the ISS, after a failed try in 2019, has been successful.

Boeing has been building its space division for some time, but is now competing with the likes of SpaceX to provide tech for future NASA missions.

The Orbital Flight Test-2 has helped restore Boeing's reputation following failures both within and without its space branch. The shadow of Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft, which has come under scrutiny following two major accidents, has continued to loom over the aerospace giant.

The spacecraft is expected to carry humans in another test flight, possibly by the end of this year.

(c) 2022 City A.M., source Newspaper