Author Topic: Atlas V N22 - Starliner OFT (uncrewed) - 20 Dec 2019 (11:36 UTC) - DISCUSSION  (Read 279130 times)

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Given the tweet below, seems like a good time to start this thread for the first (uncrewed) Starliner flight. At the time of posting the forecast date is NET August 2018:

UPDATES:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49678.0

Quote
Tory Bruno‏ Verified account @torybruno 26m26 minutes ago

Very exciting!  Mighty #Atlas Booster for OFT, the first  #Starliner test flight, (uncrewed). @BoeingDefense #LaunchAmerica #Boeing

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/918416260819329025
« Last Edit: 12/20/2019 10:59 am by input~2 »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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ULA & @BoeingDefense #AtlasV #Starliner teams held a Test Like You Fly review last week, an exercise focused on safety and reliability
https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/918602883888762880

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Team reviewed components, software & systems + decades of Atlas data to ensure integrated vehicle tests sim real-life conditions
https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/918603072024338432

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TLYF review supports safety, mission success as #AtlasV #Starliner preps to launch astros to @Space_Station next year! #LaunchAmerica
https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/918603295954014208

Offline GWH

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Centaur being fabricated for this flight:
Quote
The Centaur that will return Americans to space from American soil.
https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/918816681157210114
« Last Edit: 10/13/2017 03:52 pm by GWH »

Offline Lars-J

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Centaur being fabricated for this flight:
Quote
The Centaur that will return Americans to space from American soil.
https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/918816681157210114

I guess Tony is forgetting that SpaceX might do it before then? (if current schedules hold)
« Last Edit: 10/13/2017 04:52 pm by Lars-J »

Offline GWH

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I guess Tony is forgetting that SpaceX might do it before then? (if current schedules hold)
Tory didn't say "first" or "only".  The overall goal of getting Americans to space from American soil is a 2 provider solution.

« Last Edit: 10/13/2017 05:00 pm by GWH »

Offline deruch

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Centaur being fabricated for this flight:
Quote
The Centaur that will return Americans to space from American soil.
https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/918816681157210114

Isn't this thread for the uncrewed mission?  Either that's the wrong Centaur for this thread or it wont be the one returning Americans to space.  ;)  Exciting to see LV hardware being built for these missions either way, though.
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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More #Atlas #Starliner hardware moving through Decatur!
#Boeing #LaunchAmerica

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/923227656161673216

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Here’s a different photo released by NASA:

Quote
The Atlas V rocket is coming together for @BoeingDefense #Starliner spacecraft first uncrewed flight test. More: http://go.nasa.gov/2h7K8uz

https://twitter.com/commercial_crew/status/923282509307301888

Offline cscott

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If SpaceX is ahead of ULA for its equivalent flight, why hasn't it released comparable images of its progress?

 - Ed Kyle

Because the F9 is built on an assembly line on two week-ish cadence and the F9 for Crew Dragon looks no different than any other F9 built?  Routine stuff isn't generally considered newsworthy.

Edit: The block 5 parts (bolted octaweb, single-piece turbine forgings) are being incrementally rolled out throughout block 4, even if you knew what to look for.  The crew dragon F9 will be almost indistinguishable​ from the F9 built two weeks before it.
« Last Edit: 10/26/2017 03:54 pm by cscott »

Offline SmallKing

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If SpaceX is ahead of ULA for its equivalent flight, why hasn't it released comparable images of its progress?

 - Ed Kyle

Because the F9 is built on an assembly line on two week-ish cadence and the F9 for Crew Dragon looks no different than any other F9 built?  Routine stuff isn't generally considered newsworthy.
The DM1 will be carried by the first F9 B5, which is unique
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Here's an adaptor pic posted late August that I just stumbled upon:

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From concept to production & soon flight, meet the #ulalaunch adapter supporting Boeing #Starliner capsule taking astronauts to the ISS!

https://twitter.com/CogginShannon/status/902361756093345792

Offline abaddon

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If SpaceX is ahead of ULA for its equivalent flight, why hasn't it released comparable images of its progress?
Why do you feel compelled to bring up SpaceX in a ULA thread?

Offline abaddon

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If SpaceX is ahead of ULA for its equivalent flight, why hasn't it released comparable images of its progress?
Why do you feel compelled to bring up SpaceX in a ULA thread?
I didn't.  I was responding to someone else who did.
LOL, whoops, my bad.  Maybe I should have read the quote you were responding to...

I'd prefer we didn't micro-analyze every tweet to that level, e.g. stuff like ULA calling themselves "America's ride to space" as if SpaceX (and Orbital/OrbitalATK, probably others I am forgetting) didn't exist.  Never really been a fan of that.  But it's not really worth discussion either, IMHO, so ideally we'd keep this thread focused on the OFT (uncrewed) mission instead.

Apologies Ed for the careless response.
« Last Edit: 10/26/2017 05:50 pm by abaddon »

Offline woods170

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Discussing SpaceX in a Starliner thread is OT so I moved my reply here: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41016.msg1742534#msg1742534
« Last Edit: 10/27/2017 06:19 am by woods170 »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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United Launch Alliance Completes Key Milestone for Launch of Boeing’s Starliner and Return of U.S.-based Human Spaceflight

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Jan. 4, 2018 – United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully completed an Atlas V Launch Segment Design Certification Review (DCR) recently in preparation for the launch of astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil in The Boeing Company’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. ULA’s Atlas V DCR supported the Boeing International Space Station (ISS) DCR that was held with NASA at Kennedy Space Center in early December.

“Design Certification Review is a significant milestone that completes the design phase of the program, paving the way to operations,” said Barb Egan, ULA Commercial Crew program manager. “Hardware and software final qualification tests are underway, as well as a major integrated test series, including structural loads. Future tests will involve launch vehicle hardware, such as jettison tests, acoustic tests, and, finally, a pad abort test in White Sands, New Mexico.”

Launch vehicle production is currently on track for an uncrewed August 2018 Orbital Flight Test (OFT). The OFT booster for the uncrewed flight is in final assembly at the factory in Decatur, Ala., and the OFT Centaur upper stage has completed pressure testing. Other hardware such as the launch vehicle adapter and aeroskirt production are on schedule to support test articles and flight. 

“ULA is progressing into the operational phase to launch the OFT and Crew Flight Test in 2018, and we are pleased with the progress we’re making toward a successful launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner on the Atlas V,” said Gary Wentz, ULA Human and Commercial Systems vice president. “We cannot overstate the importance of all the steps that go into this process as there is more than just a mission or hardware at stake, but the lives of our brave astronauts.”

The Boeing Company selected ULA’s Atlas V rocket for human-rated spaceflight to the ISS. ULA’s Atlas V has launched more than 70 times with a 100 percent mission success rate.

With more than a century of combined heritage, ULA is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 120 satellites to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321). Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-completes-atlasv-starliner-dcr.aspx

Offline envy887

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Quote
United Launch Alliance Completes Key Milestone for Launch of Boeing’s Starliner and Return of U.S.-based Human Spaceflight

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Jan. 4, 2018 – United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully completed an Atlas V Launch Segment Design Certification Review (DCR) recently in preparation for the launch of astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil in The Boeing Company’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. ULA’s Atlas V DCR supported the Boeing International Space Station (ISS) DCR that was held with NASA at Kennedy Space Center in early December.

“Design Certification Review is a significant milestone that completes the design phase of the program, paving the way to operations,” said Barb Egan, ULA Commercial Crew program manager. “Hardware and software final qualification tests are underway, as well as a major integrated test series, including structural loads. Future tests will involve launch vehicle hardware, such as jettison tests, acoustic tests, and, finally, a pad abort test in White Sands, New Mexico.”

Launch vehicle production is currently on track for an uncrewed August 2018 Orbital Flight Test (OFT). The OFT booster for the uncrewed flight is in final assembly at the factory in Decatur, Ala., and the OFT Centaur upper stage has completed pressure testing. Other hardware such as the launch vehicle adapter and aeroskirt production are on schedule to support test articles and flight. 

“ULA is progressing into the operational phase to launch the OFT and Crew Flight Test in 2018, and we are pleased with the progress we’re making toward a successful launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner on the Atlas V,” said Gary Wentz, ULA Human and Commercial Systems vice president. “We cannot overstate the importance of all the steps that go into this process as there is more than just a mission or hardware at stake, but the lives of our brave astronauts.”

The Boeing Company selected ULA’s Atlas V rocket for human-rated spaceflight to the ISS. ULA’s Atlas V has launched more than 70 times with a 100 percent mission success rate.

With more than a century of combined heritage, ULA is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 120 satellites to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321). Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-completes-atlasv-starliner-dcr.aspx

Does this mean they got the information they needed to human-rate RD-180? IIRC that was an input to completing the DCR.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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The Orbital Flight Test (OFT) Booster is on its way to pressure testing. #Starliner

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/985862488875876353

Offline intrepidpursuit

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Has the dual engine centaur flown yet? Does ULA not have the 7 flight requirement? Seems like changing the engine count is a big change. I know a dual engine centaur has flown before, but never on an Atlas 5.

Offline ZachS09

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Has the dual engine centaur flown yet? Does ULA not have the 7 flight requirement? Seems like changing the engine count is a big change. I know a dual engine centaur has flown before, but never on an Atlas 5.

Not on an Atlas V. The last time a Dual-Engined Centaur was flown was on the last Atlas IIAS mission in August 2004. For the next fourteen years afterwards, all Centaur upper stages had only one RL-10.
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Offline vapour_nudge

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Has the dual engine centaur flown yet? Does ULA not have the 7 flight requirement? Seems like changing the engine count is a big change. I know a dual engine centaur has flown before, but never on an Atlas 5.

Not on an Atlas V. The last time a Dual-Engined Centaur was flown was on the last Atlas IIAS mission in August 2004. For the next fourteen years afterwards, all Centaur upper stages had only one RL-10.

Incorrect, the last DEC was flown in 2005 on an Atlas IIIB

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