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As NASA prepares to provide updated launch dates for the demonstration missions of the SpaceX and Boeing non-posted and crewed commercial crew – as well as crew assignments for each provider – ASAP held its quarterly meeting last Thursday, during which they pointed to a failure on the part of Boeing that could potentially lead to a redesign of a critical element of Starliner. The ASAP also pointed to several points of positive progress on the SpaceX part
Boeing suffered a critical failure with Starliner:
As was reported by Eric Berger on Ars Technica [19659005] Boeing Failed Starliner's critical platform disrupted the thrusters at the end of June, a failure that would have ended with the flight of the propeller system's volatile propellant.
In several statements to many outlets afterward, Boeing said going forward with corrective measures. "
But it was not quite the withdrawal of the ASAP meeting that took place a few days after the company's statement.
" Boeing recently conducted a fire test at low altitude abort a step for the CST-100, "noted an ASAP panel member. "And there was an anomaly on this test that we need to better understand in terms of its potential impact on design and operation and timing.
Abort Testing Starliner – by Nathan Koga for NSF / L2
" And well While there is a lot of interest for this issue, Boeing has asked for some time to step back and understand a little better. "
During his brief discussion of Boeing, ASAP members did not mention any potential corrective action, stating instead that Boeing was still figuring out exactly what was going on.
It is possible that ASAP was referring to information prior to Boeing's statement, however, it is also possible that the panel – which provides a cautious and measured has not yet been presented as evidence of such corrective action for the problem of abortion.
Be that as it may, one thing was clear from the ASAP: their Non-necked and crew test flights, known respectively as the Orbital Flight Test (OFT) and the Flight Crew Test (CFT), are in a state of fluctuation and are misunderstood.
short-term timelines at least for the Boeing supplier while they go through there, "noted ASAP. "And then we should have a better idea of the orbital flight test and the flight test of the crew for that provider."
Starliner launches an Atlas V N22 rocket from the Cape Canaveral, FL Air Station, carrying new crew members. International Space Station (Credit: Nathan Koga, for NSF / L2)
This statement is revealing, especially in anticipation of NASA launching new target dates for launching the OFT and CFT missions for Boeing (as well as for SpaceX). This Friday, August 3, during an event at the Johnson Space Center of the agency.
With this ASAP statement, it is now understood that these dates for Boeing to be announced on Friday might not be completely realistic as the company continues to work through the mitigation and potential overhaul, as stated by ASAP, resulting from the issue of the test stand.
Praise SpaceX, but still work to do:
Contrast quite important from the above, the ASAP panel had a great praise for SpaceX regarding a number of areas related to the production of the. Dragon crew and Falcon 9 boosters that will be used to launch the crew crew to the International Space Station.
Innovation and adaptability while developing procedures and computer tracking systems to greatly assist in systems engineering and integration (SE & I) to properly track all changes to the vehicle and understand how these changes relate to the integrated overall design for Dragon and the Falcon 9 rocket.
In fact, perhaps no better praise for these tools and systems came from a member ASAP who said that they "would have been great for the space shuttle program" – ASAP member and former NASA astronaut Lieutenant-General (Retired) Susan Helms noted that "it was a excellent "attaboy" for the current visions of the program on how the tools evolve not only but how SpaceX "
The dragonheads rose on the Falcon 9 – via Nathan Koga for the NSF / L2 [19659010] ASAP discussed these awards Positive ts for SpaceX while discussing overall positive progress of the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) strategies and approaches to meet SE & I panel recommendations
"You can never see you often enough what the SE & I directions really mean, "said Lieutenant General (Ret.) Helms. "It means understanding the margins of integrated systems designs, checking that these margins exist by testing and analyzing, and then controlling both the configuration and the operation of the system to ensure that these margins exist and that these principles are absolutely essential for culture and practice to achieve the best possible results for the safety of spaceflight. "
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Helms also praised SpaceX's "extreme transparency" with the CCP's office on all of their data, "including how tools can help them in the future. risk management. "
" Assuming the program continues We believe that the principles of SpaceX evolve in a way that causes them to respect the spirit of our recommendations. It seems that things are going well in the direction of our recommendations. "
Nevertheless, there have been some problems (more items to watch than problems) ASAP put forth with regard to SpaceX with regard to the vehicle hardware.
The Dragon CRS -4 is preparing for splashing in the Pacific Ocean Credit: SpaceX
Such a field is a next change to the supplier who supplies the Dragon Parachute Reef line cutters.The original supplier selected by SpaceX was the only NASA qualified supplier for reef line cutters, and it was to serve Dragon, Starliner and Orion.
This supplier is an extremely small company and it is difficult to guarantee the quantity and especially the quality of the delivered product due to the increased demand of the three crewed vehicles developed
change suppliers to ensure a continuous and quality supply of reef line cutters .this new provided he is currently going through the qualification process, which is almost complete.
What SpaceX is in the process of deciding is the mission that it will pass to the new supplier's equipment – the unmanned DM-1 flight or the crew. DM-2 Mission
The DM-1 mission parachutes have already been packed inside the crew's Dragon capsule, and replacing the reef line cutters would delay the flight DM-1. SpaceX is actively involved in the risk management and risk posture discussions to potentially move to the new DM-2 crewed crew reef line cutters, ASAP noting that they are eagerly awaiting the results of these discussions.
The CRS-7 mission, further investigation could reveal more over time → http://t.co/YFFsT2PCwB
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 21, 2015
Another COPV-related discussion area, Composite booster vessels to be used in Falcon 9 rocket will be equipped with new COPV designs to debut on non-DM-1 mission with Falcon 9 core B1051
According to ASAP, "we learned a lot this week about a very detailed and structured approach to certifying the COPVs used on the SpaceX design.There have been a lot of tests and a lot of follow up and testing. # 39; investigations to try to understand the physics of things like what could cause potential ignition mechanisms or other mechanisms of failure.
"And the panel really wants to congratulate the team deep diving [for their work] but we recognized Let's say there is still a lot of work to be done. The jury is always on this subject. And we look forward to seeing what the results of this work will mean in terms of final risk characterization and whether that risk will be acceptable. And if not, what other risk mitigation measures might be needed regarding these COPVs. "
Another area to watch out for – an ASAP believes ongoing to a" satisfactory conclusion "- links Merlin 1D Falcon 9 engines and their upgrades to crew configuration." The first two engines have begun to go through the qualification procedure, and after disassembly, there were observations of certain anomalies in the equipment that were considered potentially dangerous – certainly not desirable, "noted ASAP.
" There were a program undertaken to try to modify the design and correct these anomalies. SpaceX and NASA have agreed on a requalification plan including six engines – two ground test configurations and one flight test configuration.
The Falcon 9 of Block 5 takes a space dragon into space during one of SpaceX 's demonstration missions. (Credit: Nathan Koga for NSF / L2)
As work on this issue continued, SpaceX developed two short-term corrective actions that are considered worthy and secure for the unoccupied DM-1 mission. At the same time, SpaceX began to design and implement two longer-term solutions to the anomaly observed on the test bench.
ASAP noted that the two short-term actions could also be used on crewed DM-2 flight if they were found to be sufficiently safe during disassembly and post-flight inspections and after the test. It will not be possible to decide whether these short-term actions can be performed as part of the crew demonstration mission before having a better understanding of short-term actions.
Nevertheless, the ASAP is "optimistic"
Final Certification – a discussion:
Through all of this, ASAP was at first very satisfied with the overall status of the Program commercial teams and current orientation towards certification of products delivered by both suppliers.
There was a specific note that no calendar pressure was observed during the course of the year. the last round of surveillance meetings, with both providers fully aware of the safety and risk factors involved and who prevail over any perceived / imminent desire to see the programs and being implemented.
With a Starliner docked safely at ISS, a Crew Dragon approaching the station using C2V2 radio. (Credit: Nathan Koga for NSF / L2)
However, "at the approach of certification milestones we must always be as that not only the hardware design of the components will be ready for certification, but also the integrated global risk of space missions can be effectively managed both in the design of equipment and in the operational practices of the equipment, "note ASAP
. To this end, a member of ASAP took the time to discuss in detail the certification of these products. really means. In his statements, Dr. Don McErlean sought to clarify for everyone what the final certification process involved – as it is often called a "paper process".
"This has to be noted by everyone, and we are particularly concerned. If the final certification process has sometimes been described as a paper process, it is actually only a shortcut and, in fact, it can not be further from the truth, "he noted. Dr. McErlean.
In reality, the process is the following. "In a certified design, the design agent – the contractor or the partner in this case – performs the design and in the certification plan, the design agent and the agency of certification (NASA) agree to the submission of proof of certification.It may be action measurements, test data, analysis, but it is almost always the submission detailed technical data, not just descriptions or paper forms, sometimes it involves witness testing and sometimes physical inspection.
"The Technical Branch of the certification agency – NASA in this case – then reviews and analyzes the data to be validated. that in fact the design meets the stated requirements with the expected margins. This validation activity extends to many aspects of the design as well as the operation of the integrated mechanism or the entire system. Once the certification body agrees that these validations are correct and acceptable, it certifies the design and we can declare that we have completed the certification procedure.
"It's this technical review of the certification data and products. In fact, we want everyone to realize that it's not a process of This involves a considerable and detailed technical activity on the part of the certification agency – NASA in this case – and the design agency or the contractor or contractor.
"In addition, it should be noted that the design is certified for a given range of operations. This is assumed as part of the process. And we all realize that if its range of operations was significantly exceeded, the data should be reassessed and re-examined to determine if the design was adequate for the new regime.
#BREAKING @NASA NEWS! I will be at @NASA_Johnson on 8/3 to announce the astronauts assigned to the first crews launched on US-made spacecraft since the US withdrawal from the space shuttle program.https: // t .co / SA6cj81ah5
– Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) July 25, 2018
"Now that does not seem to be the case in our vision at the moment, I'm raising it all up for everyone to know that is the case.The agency and the contractor therefore have a considerable amount of detailed technical review process in which the data, safeguarding the design itself same, are reviewed and evaluated against certification criteria.
"Once this process is complete, the design is eligible for certification and would be signed by the certification body."
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