NASA and Boeing Starliner launch to ISS suspended as spacecraft investigation continues

Boeing hopes to launch its Starliner crew capsule for the second time in an attempt to dock with the International Space Station. by Boeing the first test in December 2019 failed to reach the correct orbit, but provided him with valuable data. The company seemed ready to try again, but its the launch attempt has been deleted Tuesday – the second delay in less than a week.

Engineers “have detected unexpected indications of valve position in the propulsion system” during a health check of the spacecraft after Monday’s thunderstorms in the region, Boeing said Tuesday. It is not certain that the storms are responsible for the technical problem.

The company and NASA on Wednesday considered a possible target for a new launch time, but the valve issue continues to haunt the mission. “The engineering teams have ruled out a number of potential causes, including software, but more time is needed to complete the assessment,” NASA said Tuesday evening.

The spacecraft was removed from the platform and returned to a hangar (or “vertical integration facility”) on August 4 and it will undergo “various procedures to help understand the problem,” according to a brief press release provided. two days later. .

As the Starliner undergoes testing, NASA has announced that it will conduct a cargo launch to the ISS, facilitated by Northrop Grumman, which is scheduled for Tuesday, August 10. It is not known when Starliner is likely to fly and there is no relaunch date at this time.

The later the launch, the more planning problems the craft should have. It’s a busy time for the ISS, with the launch of Northrop Grumman Cygnus and a SpaceX cargo resupply mission coming on August 29. Starliner should get in and out before the SpaceX vehicle docks.

The mission was originally scheduled to take off on Friday, but this was delayed due to a Thursday broadcast with a Russian module of the ISS firing its thrusters shortly after docking at the station. This toppled the space station and forced crews to assess the station’s condition.

“The International Space Station team will use this time to continue checking the newly arrived Roscosmos Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory (MLM) module and to ensure the station will be ready for the arrival of Starliner,” NASA said. in a July 29 press release.

NASA will live stream the launch when it finally happens.

When Starliner finally launches, it will take off on an Atlas V rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA). The capsule will be packed with approximately 400 pounds of crew and freight supplies. If all goes well, it will dock with the space station about 24 hours later. The docking will also be covered live by NASA TV.

Software flaws and a communications link issue led to the premature end of Boeing’s original test flight in 2019, although the CST-100 Starliner capsule landed safely on Earth. The upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission is a chance for Boeing to thoroughly check its hardware and software before a crew of three American astronauts flies the Starliner.

Boeing and SpaceX are both part of NASA’s commercial crew program, which involves sending astronauts to the ISS from US soil. SpaceX has now delivered 10 astronauts to the ISS, and Boeing would like to catch up. But first, he’ll have to show that his Starliner can safely reach the ISS and return to Earth.

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

“OFT-2 will provide valuable data that will help NASA certify Boeing’s crew transport system to transport astronauts to and from the space station,” NASA said in a statement on July 22 after concluding a review flight preparation.

The mission is a key milestone for NASA’s plans to conduct regular crewed launches from the United States, ending its dependence on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Boeing is also considering its first crewed mission, Boe-CFT, which it hoped to launch in the next six months. Delays with OFT-2 could mean a longer wait before people fly on Starliner.

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