Struggling Boeing Starliner returned to factory, further delaying NASA launch

After more than a week of trying to resolve a stuck valve issue, Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule emerges from the Atlas V rocket that was supposed to send it into orbit for “more in-depth troubleshooting.” During a media call on Friday, NASA’s Steve Stich said Starliner would now not be able to complete its test flight to the International Space Station until late October at the earliest.

Boeing had hoped to launch Starliner on August 3 in an attempt to dock with the ISS, but the attempt has been cleaned – the second delay in less than a week. by Boeing the first test in December 2019 failed to reach the correct orbit, but provided him with valuable data.

Engineers “detected unexpected indications of valve position in the propulsion system” during a spacecraft health check after electrical storms in the area, Boeing said at the time. It remains uncertain whether the storms were responsible for the technical problem.

The spacecraft was removed from the platform and returned to a hangar (or “vertical integration facility”) on August 4, but on Friday four valves were still malfunctioning, forcing Boeing to unstack the vehicle to get a better view of the problem. .

“We will continue to work on the issue from the Starliner plant,” said John Vollmer, Boeing’s commercial crew program manager.

He also questioned the possibility of the capsule taking off in 2021: “It’s probably too early to say if it’s this year or not.”

The mission was originally scheduled to take off on July 30, 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.

When Starliner finally launches, it will take off on an Atlas V rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA). The capsule will contain 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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