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A Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft sits on top of a ULA Atlas V rocket in July 2021.
Boeing / John Grant
Boeing hopes to launch its Starliner crew capsule for the second time in an attempt to dock with the International Space Station. Boeing The first attempt failed in December 2019 to reach the correct orbit, but it provided him with valuable data. The company seemed ready to try again, but the files Launch attempt canceled Tuesday – second delay in less than a week.
Engineers revealed “unexpected valve placement indicators in the propulsion system” during a medical examination of the spacecraft after Monday’s electrical storms in the region, Boeing said on Tuesday. It is not certain that the storms are responsible for the technical problem.
The company and NASA considered a potential target for a new launch time on Wednesday, but the valve issue still haunted 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.
The spacecraft was removed from the platform and returned to the hangar (or “vertical integration facility”) on August 4 and will be “subject to various procedures to help understand the problem,” according to a short press release provided. two days later.
With the Starliner tested, NASA has announced that it will conduct a cargo launch to the International Space Station, facilitated by Northrop Grumman, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 10. date at that time.
The later the launch, the more planning issues the craft will face. It’s a busy time for the International Space Station, with the launch of Northrop Grumman Cygnus and SpaceX’s cargo refueling mission on August 29. Starliner will have to get in and out before SpaceX can dock.
The mission was originally scheduled to take off on Friday, but this was delayed due to Thursday Edition with Russian ISS Unit They fired its missiles shortly after docking at the station. This destroyed the space station and forced teams to assess the state of the station.
“The ISS team will use this time to continue inspections of the new Roscosmos Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) and ensure the station is ready for the arrival of Starliner,” NASA said in a statement. July 29.
NASA will broadcast the launch when it finally takes place.
When the Starliner is finally launched, it will take off on an Atlas V. rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA). The capsule will be filled with approximately 400 pounds of crew and cargo equipment. If all goes well, he will stay in 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 initial test flight in 2019, even though the CST-100 Starliner capsule landed safely on Earth. The upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission is an opportunity for Boeing to take a deep look at its hardware and software before a crew of three American astronauts flies aboard the Starliner.
Boeing and SpaceX are both part of NASA’s commercial crew program, which involves sending astronauts to the International Space Station from US soil. SpaceX has now delivered 10 astronauts to the International Space Station, and Boeing would like to catch up. But first, you’ll have to show that Starliner can safely reach the International Space Station and return to Earth.
Starliner will spend five to 10 days at the International Space Station before returning research samples to Earth. Boeing aims to return the spacecraft to a parachute landing in the New Mexico desert.
“OFT-2 will provide valuable data that will help NASA certify the Boeing Crew Transportation System to transport astronauts to and from the space station,” NASA said in a July 22 statement after completing a flight readiness exam .
The mission is a key milestone in NASA’s plans to operate regular launches with crews from the United States, ending its dependence on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Boeing is also studying its first manned mission, the Boe-CFT, which it hoped to launch in the next six months. Delays with OFT-2 could mean waiting longer before people steal the Starliner.
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