Technologies

Troubled Boeing Starliner headed back to factory, further delaying NASA launch

A persistent valve problem remains after the issue scrubbed a second launch attempt earlier this month.

After more than a week trying to fix a problem with stuck valves, Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule is coming off the Atlas V rocket that was meant to send it to orbit for some «deeper-level troubleshooting.» In a call with media on Friday, NASA’s Steve Stich said Starliner now won’t be able to undertake its test flight to the International Space Station until late October at the earliest.

Boeing had hoped to launch Starliner on Aug. 3 in an attempt to dock with the ISS, but the attempt was scrubbed — the second delay in less than a week. Boeing’s first try way back in December 2019 failed to reach the correct orbit but gave it valuable data.

Engineers «detected unexpected valve position indicationsin the propulsion system» during a health check of the spacecraft after electrical storms in the region, Boeing said at the time. It remainsuncertain if the storms were responsible for the technical issue.

The spacecraft was moved off the pad and returned to a hangar (or»vertical integration facility») on Aug. 4 but as of Friday, four valves were still malfunctioning, forcing Boeing to de-stack the vehicle to get a better look at the problem.

«We’ll continueto work the issue from the Starliner factory,» Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program manager John Vollmer said.

He also cast some doubt on the possibility that the capsule will get off the ground in 2021: «It’s probably too early to say whether it’s this year, or not.»

The mission was originally scheduled to take off July 30, but that was delayed due to an issue Thursday with a Russian ISS module firing its thrusters shortly after docking with the station. That knocked the space station around and forced teams to evaluate the station’s status.

When Starliner does finally launch, it will lift off on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. The capsule will be packed with around 400 pounds of crew supplies and cargo. If all goes well, it’ll dock with the space station about 24 hours later. Docking will also be covered live by NASA TV.

Software defects and a communications link problem led to a premature end to the original Boeing test flight in 2019, though the CST-100 Starliner capsule landed safely back on Earth. The upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission is a chance for Boeing to thoroughly vet its hardware and software before a crew of three American astronauts would fly on Starliner.

Both Boeing and SpaceX are part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which is all about sending astronauts to the ISS from American soil. SpaceX has now delivered 10 astronauts to the ISS, and Boeing would like to catch up. But first, it’ll need to show that its Starliner can safely reach the ISS and return to Earth.

Starliner will spend between five and 10 days at the ISS before bringing research samples back to Earth. Boeing will aim to bring the spacecraft back for a parachute landing in the desert of New Mexico.

«OFT-2 will provide valuable data that will help NASA certify Boeing’s crew transportation system to carry astronauts to and from the space station,» NASA said in a statement July 22 after concluding a flight readiness review.

The mission is a key step for NASA’s plans to run regular crewed launches from the US, ending its reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Boeing is also looking ahead at its first crewed mission, Boe-CFT, which it had been hoping to launch within the next six months. The delays with OFT-2 could mean a longer wait before people fly on Starliner.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for April 16 #774

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for April 16, No. 774.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle could be tough. I understood the theme right away, but some of the answers are really difficult to unscramble. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: This is not working.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Leisure time.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

STEM, STEMS, STEAM, STEAMS, MAPS, TEES, RIFF, FEAR, FEAT, RATIO, REST

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

HOBBY, PASTIME, INTEREST, SIDELINE, RECREATION

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUSTFORFUN. To find it, start with the J that is the farthest-left letter on the top row, and wind down and then back up.

Technologies

T-Mobile Will Give You Up to $800 to Break Up With Your Old Carrier

T-Mobile’s current offer makes it easier to save money when you switch carriers.

We’ve just spotted a T-Mobile deal that lets you keep your phone and get up to $800 to break your current carrier contract. There are some terms and conditions you need to know, but this is a solid deal that can help you cut down on monthly expenses — something many of us are keen to do right now.

This T-Mobile offer is available to anyone who signs up for an Essentials Saver plan at $50 per month and enrolls in AutoPay using an eligible payment method. You’ll also have to bring your own phone. The good news? This deal will pay off any eligible phone for up to four lines.

Additionally, those who switch to T-Mobile and open a new line on the Essentials Saver plan can get up to $800 to break their current carrier contract. T-Mobile will provide a prepaid MasterCard with the total sum you’re eligible for within roughly 15 days. This benefit applies to up to four lines at a time.

Keep in mind that switching to Essentials Saver means you’ll also pay up to $3 in Monthly Regulatory Programs & Telco Recovery Fees. Taxes may also apply every month. The Essentials Saver plan includes high-speed data in the US only, and slower data (128 kbps) in Mexico and Canada. Travel to other countries requires purchasing extra data. Any prepaid MasterCard received expires in six months. These are only some of the applicable terms and conditions.

Looking for a new phone carrier, but not sure if this deal is for you? Check out our list of the best cellphone plans for more options.

MOBILE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Get an iPhone 17 Pro Free With Trade-in and Qualifying Plan at T-Mobile
Google Pixel 10 Pro 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian):

$749 (save $250)
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G 128GB Unlocked Phone (Awesome Black):

$298 (save $102)
Motorola Edge 256GB Unlocked Phone (2024 Model, Midnight Blue):

$241 (save $310)
Google Pixel 9 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian):

$499 (save $300)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Switching to a different carrier can make it easier to qualify for deals that aren’t usually available to current customers, and this T-Mobile deal is no exception. Not only can you get up to $800 to break your current contract, but this deal applies to up to four lines if you bring your own phone. Though there’s no stated deadline, we suggest acting fast to start saving on your monthly phone bill.

Technologies

Denon’s New AVR-S980H Breaks Receiver Drought for Home Theater Fans

The Dolby Atmos receiver includes improved streaming support and extra gaming features.

Samsung-owned Denon has unveiled the long-awaited follow-up to its AVR-S970H receiver, the AVR-S980H, which boasts better music streaming and gaming support.

The Denon AVR-S980H is a 5.1.2-channel (7.1) Dolby Atmos receiver that boasts 90 watts per channel, which should be enough to power most home theater speakers.

Connectivity is consistent with the previous model, with six HDMI inputs — three 4K and three 8K/4K 120Hz ports — plus two HDMI outputs. If you’re a gamer, the inputs also support 1440p pass-through and AMD FreeSync.

Streaming support is improved, with Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect and HEOS multiroom. The Denon is also Roon Ready, which means it can be streamed directly from the Roon software.

Read more: Best AV Receiver for 2026

The receiver also supports Denon’s own Home speakers as rears, including the new 200, 400 and 600 models.

The Denon includes a phono input, which means you can plug a turntable into it for a potential boost in sound quality.

It’s been a rough few years for AV fans, with very few new receivers since the end of the pandemic. The AVR-S980H may mark a resurgence of sorts. I look forward to testing this model to see how it stacks up against its elderly competition.

The Denon AVR-S980H will be available this month for $949, only $50 more than the previous version.