NASA, Boeing Starliner mission to ISS again delayed, launch uncertain

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. “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. There is no new launch date at this time.

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 working on the checks of the newly arrived Roscosmos Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) and to ensure that the station will be ready for the arrival of Starliner,” said NASA said in a July 29 statement.

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 cargo 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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