Atlas V N22 : Starliner OFT-2 : Canaveral SLC-41 : 19 May 2022 (22:54 UTC)

[rdale]

NASA says no attempt tomorrow.

Rolling back instead…

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2021/08/03/nasa-boeing-standing-down-on-aug-4-starliner-launch-attempt

[butters]

I heard on the order of months. October 2021.

Even if Dragon CRS-23 doesn't launch at the end of August and/or doesn't spend 60 days docked to the ISS according to the new extended CRS mission plans, OFT-2 is unlikely to launch in October, because Lucy has a very critical launch window in mid-October that will tie up LC-41 for most if not all of October. Lucy will take priority for both ULA and NASA.

It's either August or NET November for OFT-2, as I see it.

[SoftwareDude]

During the evening DPC, CAPCOM reported multiple issues with verifying/commanding servos on propellant valves.  Launch is rescheduled to 1657Z tomorrow pending solving the issues.  Tomorrow is a half work day for the crew.

Not just a single electrical-mechanical thingy? Sounds like a software problem.

[hartspace]

NASA says no attempt tomorrow.

Rolling back instead…

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2021/08/03/nasa-boeing-standing-down-on-aug-4-starliner-launch-attempt

The NASA blog seems to indicate that they don't think it is a software problem.  The fact that they are rolling back "for further inspection and testing where access to the spacecraft is available" seems to suggest perhaps an electrical or mechanical problem with the spacecraft that they need direct access to.  Or an interface issue between Starliner and Atlas.  It will be interesting to see why this problem didn't show up until the day of launch.  Hopefully it is something easy to fix.

[gongora]

NOTMAR for launch attempts on the 7th and 8th (pending resolution of the issues with the spacecraft of course)

040300Z AUG 21
NAVAREA IV 661/21(GEN).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   071537Z TO 071632Z AUG, ALTERNATE
   081514Z TO 081609Z AUG
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38-17N 080-37-11W, 28-41-00N 080-35-00W,
      28-48-00N 080-22-00W, 28-46-00N 080-20-00W,
      28-34-00N 080-30-00W, 28-32-08N 080-33-44W.
   B. 29-14-00N 080-06-00W, 29-49-00N 079-30-00W,
      29-40-00N 079-19-00W, 29-04-00N 079-55-00W.
   C. 38-57-00N 068-00-00W, 40-01-00N 066-31-00W,
      40-48-00N 064-47-00W, 40-23-00N 064-29-00W,
      39-20-00N 066-01-00W, 38-28-00N 067-42-00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 650/21.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 081709Z AUG 21.


040315Z AUG 21
HYDROPAC 2225/21(61,75,76).
INDIAN OCEAN.
WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 03, DNC 04, DNC 05.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   071626Z TO 071719Z AUG, ALTERNATE
   081603Z TO 081656Z AUG
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   24-10S 078-38E, 21-03S 082-56E,
   29-58S 092-56E, 37-55S 104-44E,
   43-24S 116-27E, 47-54S 131-16E,
   49-37S 146-12E, 49-50S 153-23E,
   54-47S 153-23E, 55-06S 148-33E,
   54-08S 133-51E, 50-48S 117-57E,
   44-28S 102-29E, 37-04S 091-45E,
   29-39S 083-03E.
2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 2197/21.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 081756Z AUG 21.

[Stan-1967]

Hopefully this won't end up like the power unit on the Orion capsule that could have required separating Orion from the service module. 

[Rondaz]

NASA, Boeing Standing Down on Aug. 4 Starliner Launch Attempt

Patricia Bielling Posted on August 3, 2021

NASA and Boeing are standing down from the Wednesday, Aug. 4, launch attempt of the agency’s Orbital Flight Test-2 to the International Space Station as mission teams continue to examine the cause of the unexpected valve position indications on the CST-100 Starliner propulsion system.

Early in the launch countdown for the Aug. 3 attempt, mission teams detected indications that not all valves were in the proper configuration needed for launch. Mission teams decided to halt the countdown to further analyze the issue.

NASA and Boeing worked through several steps to troubleshoot the incorrect valve indications, including cycling the service module propulsion system valves, within the current configuration of the Starliner and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Mission teams have decided to roll the Atlas V and Starliner back to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) for further inspection and testing where access to the spacecraft is available. Boeing will power down the Starliner spacecraft this evening. The move to the VIF is expected to take place as early as tomorrow.

Engineering teams have ruled out a number of potential causes, including software, but additional time is needed to complete the assessment.

NASA and Boeing will take whatever time is necessary to ensure Starliner is ready for its important uncrewed flight test to the space station and will look for the next available opportunity after resolution of the issue.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/oft-2/2021/08/03/nasa-boeing-standing-down-on-aug-4-starliner-launch-attempt/

[Rondaz]

Alongside @BoeingSpace, we'll take more time to ensure #Starliner is ready to launch to the @Space_Station. We’re standing down from a Aug. 4  launch attempt & will return the spacecraft to the Vertical Integration Facility for further inspection & testing.

https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1422723756447969288

[Ollopa11]

MOSCOW, August 4 / Radio Sputnik. The head of the press service of Roscosmos, Vladimir Ustimenko, called the excuses of NASA and Boeing "ugly", with which they are trying to cover up malfunctions with the Starliner spacecraft.

I fear this is another case of Google Translate trying to start World War Three!  According to Tass, the word he used translates as "inappropriate", not "ugly".  The whole Telegram post makes more far sense in the Tass English report:

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The attempts to blame the Russian Nauka research module for the delayed launch of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) look inappropriate, considering problems revealed in the US spaceship, Roscosmos Spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said on Wednesday.

https://tass.com/science/1322493

 The word in question is "некрасивыми".  Can a native Russian speaker weigh in please?

[otisbow]

May-be the reason Boeing is having so many problems with the Starliner is, its over designed!

[rdale]

May-be the reason Boeing is having so many problems with the Starliner is, its over designed!

What does that mean exactly? How do you “over design” a spacecraft?

[lrk]

If Starliner is delayed enough to conflict with Lucy, I imagine they would swap the Centaur (since OFT-2 is using the dual-engine Centaur) and use the OFT booster with no SRBs?  Would save a bit of schedule margin in not needing to replace the booster.  But was there extra mission-specific certification work done on the boosters assigned to either mission? 

[centaurinasa]

https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace/status/1422946359301263368

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1422951473160335360

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Starliner status, including potential scheduling conflicts that could delay a launch by months if Starliner isn’t able to launch in the next couple of weeks

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/08/starliner-delayed-due-to-a-valve-issue-new-launch-date-uncertain/

Starliner delayed again, and its launch window may close soon
"We’re going to let the data lead our work."

ERIC BERGER - 8/4/2021, 2:30 PM

Also:

https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1422962641585295360

Boeing is being deliberate about finding out what’s wrong with the Starliner valve issue. First step is to inspect it in the VIF and hopefully launch Saturday. But two officials told me there is a good chance the vehicle will need to be destacked in order to get at the problem.

Edit to add: further clarification on time needed between OFT-2 and Lucy launches

twitter.com/spiffles_/status/1422971533526450177

@torybruno how fast is Atlas V able to turn around? i.e. launch of one mission to the next from the same pad.

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1422975444094181380

Depends, but nominally 17 days

[smoliarm]

MOSCOW, August 4 / Radio Sputnik. The head of the press service of Roscosmos, Vladimir Ustimenko, called the excuses of NASA and Boeing "ugly", with which they are trying to cover up malfunctions with the Starliner spacecraft.

I fear this is another case of Google Translate trying to start World War Three!  According to Tass, the word he used translates as "inappropriate", not "ugly".  The whole Telegram post makes more far sense in the Tass English report:

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The attempts to blame the Russian Nauka research module for the delayed launch of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) look inappropriate, considering problems revealed in the US spaceship, Roscosmos Spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said on Wednesday.

https://tass.com/science/1322493

 The word in question is "некрасивыми".  Can a native Russian speaker weigh in please?

OK, in short
*inappropriate* is much better translation of Russian *некрасивый*, although I would try to find a closer word.
*ugly* - is a very bad translation.

Literally *красивый* means *nice* - in this context. (It also means *beautiful* - but in OTHER application)
Therefore *некрасивый* means *NOT nice* - again, in this context.

In terms of human actions, behavior, attitude - adjective *некрасивый* has definitely negative meaning - but pretty mild on general scale.
Something unfair - we could call *некрасивый*.
Or something impolite - as well.

[Rondaz]

Starliner Stands Down, Station Crew Works Physics and Nauka Transfers

Mark Garcia Posted on August 4, 2021

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew ship will roll back to its Vehicle Integration Facility so mission teams can examine the cause of unexpected valve position indications on the spacecraft’s propulsion system. Starliner’s launch targeted for today was halted as a result.

NASA and Boeing are analyzing indications that not all of Starliner’s valves were in the proper configuration needed for launch. The commercial crew partners will take the time necessary to ensure Starliner is ready to launch on Orbital Flight Test-2 to the International Space Station.

Meanwhile, the Expedition 65 crew explored space physics and transferred cargo from a new Russian science module on Wednesday.

Station Flight Engineers Megan McArthur, Mark Vande Hei and Thomas Pesquet took turns today researching ways to harness nanoparticles for the InSpace-4 space-manufacturing study. The space physics investigation takes place inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox and  seeks to develop advanced materials in microgravity to improve and strengthen spacecraft and Earthbound systems.

NASA Flight Engineer Shane Kimbrough worked in the U.S. Quest airlock on Wednesday removing particles from a smoke detector. Commander Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency replaced lights in the Kibo laboratory module then moved on to orbital plumbing tasks inside the Tranquility module’s waste and hygiene compartment.

Over in the Russian segment of the orbiting lab, cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov partnered up to unpack cargo delivered inside the new “Nauka” Multipurpose Laboratory Module. The duo then took turns exploring spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques for future planetary missions.

Continued analysis following last week’s event with unplanned thruster firings on Nauka has shown the space station remains in good shape with systems performing normally. Post-event reconstructions showed that the station experienced a total attitude change of approximately 540 degrees. Most importantly, the maximum rate and acceleration of the attitude change did not approach safety limits for station systems and normal operations resumed once attitude control was regained.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2021/08/04/starliner-stands-down-station-crew-works-physics-and-nauka-transfers/

[Rondaz]

Today's launch of @BoeingSpace CST-100 #Starliner was halted while the Exp 65 crew stayed focused on space physics and Nauka cargo transfers.

https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1422958109526462473

[Ken the Bin]

Per new NGA notices, Saturday is no longer a launch opportunity; just Sunday at ~15:24 UTC.

042058Z AUG 21
NAVAREA IV 666/21(GEN).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   081514Z TO 081609Z AUG IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38-17N 080-37-11W, 28-41-00N 080-35-00W,
      28-48-00N 080-22-00W, 28-46-00N 080-20-00W,
      28-34-00N 080-30-00W, 28-32-08N 080-33-44W.
   B. 29-14-00N 080-06-00W, 29-49-00N 079-30-00W,
      29-40-00N 079-19-00W, 29-04-00N 079-55-00W.
   C. 38-57-00N 068-00-00W, 40-01-00N 066-31-00W,
      40-48-00N 064-47-00W, 40-23-00N 064-29-00W,
      39-20-00N 066-01-00W, 38-28-00N 067-42-00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 661/21.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 081709Z AUG 21.

042038Z AUG 21
HYDROPAC 2228/21(61,75,76).
INDIAN OCEAN.
WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 03, DNC 04, DNC 05.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   081603Z TO 081656Z AUG IN AREA BOUND BY
   24-10S 078-38E, 21-03S 082-56E,
   29-58S 092-56E, 37-55S 104-44E,
   43-24S 116-27E, 47-54S 131-16E,
   49-37S 146-12E, 49-50S 153-23E,
   54-47S 153-23E, 55-06S 148-33E,
   54-08S 133-51E, 50-48S 117-57E,
   44-28S 102-29E, 37-04S 091-45E,
   29-39S 083-03E.
2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 2225/21.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 081756Z AUG 21.

[zubenelgenubi]

If Starliner is delayed enough to conflict with Lucy, I imagine they would swap the Centaur (since OFT-2 is using the dual-engine Centaur) and use the OFT booster with no SRBs?  Would save a bit of schedule margin in not needing to replace the booster.  But was there extra mission-specific certification work done on the boosters assigned to either mission?

In before Jim or another NSF guru; and I think this very suggestion has been offered before, perhaps even earlier in this campaign?

No.  Not gonna happen.

[zubenelgenubi]

A very interesting piece of information us detail-oriented Space Cadets:

@torybruno how fast is Atlas V able to turn around? i.e. launch of one mission to the next from the same pad.

Depends, but nominally 17 days.

17 days is substantially less than the ~1 month minimum turnaround in Atlas V's track record.