All posts tagged: Starliner

NASA Postpones Return of Stranded Starliner Astronauts to March

NASA Postpones Return of Stranded Starliner Astronauts to March

Published by skeptic

NASA has again postponed the return to Earth of Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, the astronauts stranded on the International Space Station after Boeing’s Starliner capsule malfunctioned in the middle of this year. The crew of the spacecraft arrived at the ISS in June. The objective was to test the Starliner’s comprehensive capabilities, including launch, docking, and return systems. The mission was scheduled to last one week. Five of the capsule’s 28 thrusters failed to function before docking with the ISS. Boeing claimed that its technology could guarantee the safe return of the astronauts. However, NASA expressed doubts and concluded that the risk was too high. The agency entrusted the task to SpaceX. Elon Musk’s company launched the Crew-9 mission in September to, among other things, return Williams and Wilmore. Until now, the stalled astronauts were scheduled to return in February aboard the Crew Dragon rocket. However, NASA has announced that it expects the expedition to return to Earth’s surface after the arrival of Crew-10, which will be sent in late March 2025 at the …

Two astronauts left behind on ISS as troubled Boeing Starliner capsule lands on Earth empty | Science & Tech News

Two astronauts left behind on ISS as troubled Boeing Starliner capsule lands on Earth empty | Science & Tech News

Published by skeptic

Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which has been plagued with problems, has returned to Earth, leaving two astronauts behind on the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft – running on autopilot – parachuted into the New Mexico desert six hours after setting out. Cameras caught the capsule as a white streak coming in for the touchdown at 11.01pm local time (5.01am on Saturday UK time), which drew cheers from Boeing’s Mission Control. NASA judged it too risky for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to get back into the spacecraft. It means they’ll remain on the ISS until February, more than eight months after blasting off on what should have been a quick trip lasting just eight days. Shortly after Boeing’s long-delayed capsule was launched in orbit in June, issues were spotted before it arrived at the space station involving multiple thruster failures and propulsion-system helium leaks. Image: The Starliner spacecraft landed empty at White Sands, New Mexico. Pic: AP/Nasa Image: The capsule was checked after landing. Pic: AP/Nasa Boeing carried out extensive thruster tests in space and …

NASA Admits “Tension in the Room” as It Told Boeing Starliner Couldn’t Return Astronauts to Earth

NASA Admits “Tension in the Room” as It Told Boeing Starliner Couldn’t Return Astronauts to Earth

Published by José

Is this the understatement of the year? Difference of Opinion Amid the ongoing Starliner breakdown fiasco, NASA has admitted that there’s been a bit of “tension” between its officials and their counterparts at Boeing. As highlighted by Space.com, the head of the agency’s commercial crew program said during a press briefing earlier this week that the decision to bring the ailing Boeing capsule back to Earth sans its stranded crew was not met with enthusiasm from the embattled aerospace contractor. According to commercial crew director Steve Stich, Boeing doesn’t necessarily agree with NASA’s assessment that the issues with Starliner’s thrusters and docking modules with the International Space Station make it too unsafe to bring astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth when the craft returns this week. “Boeing believed in the model that they had created to predict thruster degradation for the rest of the flight,” Stich said during the briefing. “The NASA team looked at the model and saw some limitation. It really had to do with, do we have confidence in the …

Boeing Starliner launches first crewed space flight on third try

Boeing Starliner launches first crewed space flight on third try

Published by Sam

Boeing on Wednesday launched its very first astronauts bound for the International Space Station aboard a Starliner capsule, which joins a select club of spacecraft to carry humans beyond Earth. Issued on: 05/06/2024 – 03:37Modified: 05/06/2024 – 17:04 3 min The third time turned out to be the charm for the aerospace giant, after two previous bids to fly with crew were aborted late into the countdown, for technical reasons. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both of whom have two previous spaceflights under their belts, blasted off at 10:52 am (1452 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, for a roughly one-week stay at the station. “Suni and I are honored to share this dream of spaceflight with each and every one of you,” Wilmore, who is commander of the test flight, said just before liftoff. “Let’s put some fire in this rocket, and let’s push it to the heavens.” Read moreEngine cover falls off Boeing 737 in latest safety scare Starliner becomes just the sixth type of US-built spaceship to …

Boeing Starliner launch delayed due to possibly faulty rocket valve

Boeing Starliner launch delayed due to possibly faulty rocket valve

Published by skeptic

The launch of Boeing’s Starliner capsule to the International Space Station was scrubbed Monday evening due to a malfunctioning valve on the Atlas V rocket that would blast it into space. NASA said the launch could proceed as soon as Friday. The rocket is a reliable workhorse and is made by the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. After years of delays in Boeing’s Starliner program, the launch with two astronauts aboard is considered crucial. NASA said an oxygen relief valve on the rocket’s Centaur second stage was “buzzing,” or rapidly opening and closing, and would be closely examined to determine whether it needed to be replaced because of cycling too many times. Once that determination is made, NASA has launch windows this week on Friday and Saturday. NASA officials said that the crew was never in danger and that the launch might have proceeded if it were a satellite payload. The decision to scrub the launch was made by NASA, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance. Boeing’s new Starliner …

Boeing forced to scrub first crewed Starliner launch to the space station

Boeing forced to scrub first crewed Starliner launch to the space station

Published by skeptic

NASA and Boeing were forced to stand down from an attempted launch to the International Space Station on Monday because of a last-minute issue that cropped up with a valve on the spacecraft’s rocket. Boeing’s Starliner capsule had been scheduled to lift off at 10:34 p.m. ET from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on its first crewed test flight. NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams were on board the capsule and strapped into their seats when the launch attempt was called off, roughly two hours ahead of the planned liftoff. A new launch date has not yet been announced. Mission controllers declared a launch “scrub” after an anomaly was detected on an oxygen valve on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, which the Starliner capsule was to ride into orbit. The crewed Starliner flight, when it occurs, will be a crucial final test before NASA can authorize Boeing to conduct routine flights to and from the space station. Officials at NASA and Boeing have said safety is paramount for the spacecraft’s first …

Boeing Starliner’s first crewed mission scrubbed

Boeing Starliner’s first crewed mission scrubbed

Published by skeptic

Boeing’s Starliner launch tonight has been postponed “out of an abundance of caution” scarcely two hours before the historic liftoff. The scrub is reportedly due to an issue with the oxygen relief valve on the Atlas V rocket’s upper stage. There are backup launch opportunities on May 7, 10 and 11. After years of delays and over $1 billion in cost overruns, the mission is set to be Boeing’s first attempt to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. Once the issue is resolved with the upper stage, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V will carry the CST-100 Starliner capsule to orbit along with the two onboard astronauts — Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams — from Florida’s Cape Canaveral at 10:34 PM local time Monday evening. The mission also marks the first time ULA’s Atlas will carry crew. The rocket boasts a success rate of 100% across 99 missions. (ULA is a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin.) The astronauts would now dock at the station at the earliest on Thursday, where they would …

The Boeing Starliner Is Finally Taking People Into Space: How to Watch the Launch Tonight

The Boeing Starliner Is Finally Taking People Into Space: How to Watch the Launch Tonight

Published by skeptic

The Boeing Starliner started life in 2010, when it was selected by NASA to be the next reusable transport to the International Space Station. It took well over a decade, but Starliner is finally set to make its first crewed voyage to the ISS on Monday night, and you can watch it happen. NASA scheduled the launch for 10:34 p.m. ET/7:34 p.m. PT on May 6 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral. The Starliner will launch with an Atlas V rocket that was created by the United Launch Alliance, which is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Traveling with the Starliner are astronauts Sunita (Suni) Williams and Barry (Butch) Wilmore.  NASA says the missions will take the astronauts to the ISS for a little over a week to test the Starliner spacecraft and its subsystems before returning to Earth. The testing is the final step in certifying the Starliner for repeat use in transport missions to and from the ISS. If everything goes according to plan, the Starliner should reach the ISS …

How to Watch the Boeing Starliner Launch

How to Watch the Boeing Starliner Launch

Published by skeptic

It’s been a rough few years for Boeing, but now the company is about to fly closer to the sun than ever before. After nearly a decade of development and delays, the first crewed launch of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft is happening today. Here’s how to watch it live. The launch is a jointly planned event between Boeing and NASA, and is scheduled for Monday, May 6, at 10:34 pm EDT, 7:34 PDT. You can watch the livestream of the launch a few different ways. It will stream on NASA’s official website and YouTube channel, as well as on NASA+, the agency’s subscription service. If you’re on mobile, the stream is also available on the NASA app. You can also watch it right here. The livestream starts about four hours before the planned launch time, at 6:30 pm Eastern, 3:30 Pacific. The launch of the Starliner is a long time coming. With this highly anticipated liftoff, Boeing will officially be the second company (after SpaceX) to partner with NASA to carry humans into space. The …