The cornerstone to the CST-100 Launch Vehicle Adapter. Designed by @ulalaunch engineer Phil Echelman. The Starliner attaches to this ring!
Quote from: Lars-J on 07/20/2017 05:52 pmI'm curious... By what metrics do you think it (Starliner) is more impressive?Landing location.
I'm curious... By what metrics do you think it (Starliner) is more impressive?
A water landing likely involves Navy assets for recovery operations, which may be an issue for non-NASA crew flights (e.g commercial orbital flights or non-NASA space stations). Land landing does not have this issue.
SO what happened to the original posts on this topic where Jim's comments (and who incidentally consistently offers the most worthwhile -- if not always popular -- observations on this site) apparently offered some interesting-looking commentary in response to other comments?
Quote from: Robby the Robot on 07/20/2017 11:53 pmA water landing likely involves Navy assets for recovery operations, which may be an issue for non-NASA crew flights (e.g commercial orbital flights or non-NASA space stations). Land landing does not have this issue.The Navy can't be rented by private companies. Any recovery would be totally private.
A desert landing prevents salt water intrusion, but that only matters if the capsule is getting reused. And in the Dragon 2 thread, it was mentioned that NASA hasn't signed off on reuse. I guess it's cheaper to roll a truck than a recovery ship. Anything else?
Ground control to major console: Mesa completes space dashboardWhen two test pilot astronauts head into space aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, they won’t just be looking out the windows to catch an array of breathtaking views.It will be all business as they focus on the data coming off a console originally imagined and designed by a team in Houston, and later refined and built by a small team in Mesa, Ariz. The dashboard of displays, instruments and controls will be within arm’s reach of the spacecraft’s commander and pilot, much like the flight deck of a 747 aircraft or the cockpit in an Apache helicopter.Operating on a rigorous timeline and working through challenges unique to human spaceflight, members of Mesa’s Metals Center of Excellence, Electrical Center of Excellence and engineering organization came together to complete the design and manufacture in just less than a year. This innovation shows the power of pulling ingenuity from across the Boeing network.The Mesa team also built a console that is hooked up to the Florida Systems Integration Lab, where engineers are running through mission simulations and testing flight software. Building will begin soon on the third and final console for the spacecraft that is slated to fly the uncrewed orbital demonstration mission before it turns around for multiple NASA missions to the space station.Starliner’s first crew flight test to the International Space Station in 2018 will be Boeing’s first commercial flight transporting humans to space.
QuoteGround control to major console: Mesa completes space dashboardWhen two test pilot astronauts head into space aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, they won’t just be looking out the windows to catch an array of breathtaking views.It will be all business as they focus on the data coming off a console originally imagined and designed by a team in Houston, and later refined and built by a small team in Mesa, Ariz. The dashboard of displays, instruments and controls will be within arm’s reach of the spacecraft’s commander and pilot, much like the flight deck of a 747 aircraft or the cockpit in an Apache helicopter.Operating on a rigorous timeline and working through challenges unique to human spaceflight, members of Mesa’s Metals Center of Excellence, Electrical Center of Excellence and engineering organization came together to complete the design and manufacture in just less than a year. This innovation shows the power of pulling ingenuity from across the Boeing network.The Mesa team also built a console that is hooked up to the Florida Systems Integration Lab, where engineers are running through mission simulations and testing flight software. Building will begin soon on the third and final console for the spacecraft that is slated to fly the uncrewed orbital demonstration mission before it turns around for multiple NASA missions to the space station.Starliner’s first crew flight test to the International Space Station in 2018 will be Boeing’s first commercial flight transporting humans to space.http://beyondearth.com/ground-control-to-major-console-mesa-completes-space-dashboard/Edit: found higher res photo
Interesting. The console layout is very "shuttle-like" to me (not a negative; just an observation). Lots of metal toggle switches, with the two protective bars on either side of a switch (to prevent accidental activation from a gloved hand), along with a number of push buttons. Insets for flat panel screens.That contrasts with the SpX approach of a mostly touch screen interface, with only a few physical controls. Have any of the potential pilots expressed a preference one way or the other?
Is it just me or are these toggle switches confusing? Without the arrow I'm sure everyone would say that 'On' is up - but the arrow next to 'On' points points down, so which is it? Or maybe that's not an arrow?
Quote from: adrianwyard on 08/03/2017 10:20 pmIs it just me or are these toggle switches confusing? Without the arrow I'm sure everyone would say that 'On' is up - but the arrow next to 'On' points points down, so which is it? Or maybe that's not an arrow?The arrows indicate a spring-loaded momentary switch that returns to center after being deflected, as opposed to a toggle switch that stays in the deflected position. NASA used this switch label convention on both the space shuttle and ISS, so astronauts are already familiar with it.
Starliner to Start “Hot Fire” Engine Tests in New MexicoA test version of the CST-100 Starliner — Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation vehicle — will soon begin a series of “hot fire” tests at NASA’s White Sand Facility in New Mexico. Boeing is building the Starliner for NASA to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station, with a first crewed flight test scheduled for next year.The Starliner houses a single propulsion system that supports all the spacecraft’s propulsion needs from ascent until deorbit burn after its departure from the space station. System capabilities will include maneuvering in space, or contingency abort scenarios, a feature that distinguishes Starliner from its Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle predecessors.The testing campaign will consist of simulated propellant flow rates for all mission scenarios; a fuel-loading demonstration; and hot fire tests that will include orbital maneuvers like docking with the space station, abort scenarios, and re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.The test module is one of three Starliner qualification test vehicles, including the structural test article, which is undergoing lab tests in Huntington Beach, Calif., and Spacecraft 1, which will be ground-tested before flying a simulated abort from a launch pad over the New Mexico desert.
Chris Ferguson, Boeing: on track do at least uncrewed CST-100 test flight next year and “ideally” crewed test flight as well. #IAC2017