Did You Know: The extendable ring ⭕️ on #Starliner's NASA Docking System (NDS) reaches out ➡️ to assist with soft capture to @Space_Station. The NDS then retracts ⬅️ for hard capture and 12 structural hooks lock 🔒 into place ensuring the vehicles are structurally sound.
Did You Know: This entry cover protects #Starliner's NASA Docking System (NDS) from extreme heat 🔥during re-entry.It opens on-orbit before docking with the @Space_Station, then closes after undocking. It remains closed through landing, reducing any contamination.⭐️
One day after launching May 19 from Florida’s Space Coast on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft docked to the International Space Station, or ISS, signifying a historic moment for the program.That moment was the first step toward next carrying astronauts to and from the space station, which will expand Starliner’s reach in low-Earth orbit and shape the future of commercial human spaceflight.What followed was ISS astronauts opening the hatch of the uncrewed Starliner and then floating inside, marking the first time the spacecraft hosted people on orbit.Starliner Mission Director LeRoy Cain had a front-row seat. The deputy program manager and director of program integration for Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program was on console at the Mission Control Center in Houston after watching the 6:54 p.m. ET launch in person a day earlier at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Boeing $BA apparently did take another $195 million charge on its Starliner / Commercial Crew program in Q3. From the company's 10-Q posted today:
I believe this brings the total Boeing Starliner charges to $883 million w the latest charges "primarily driven by timing of the three future post certification missions which are now assumed to be completed by 2026 based on NASA’s revised launch plans."
twitter.com/jackiewattles/status/1585381409551962112QuoteBoeing $BA apparently did take another $195 million charge on its Starliner / Commercial Crew program in Q3. From the company's 10-Q posted today:https://twitter.com/jackiewattles/status/1585383922854420480
Fixed-Price ContractsSubstantially all contracts at BDS and the majority of contracts at BGS Government are long-term contracts. Long-term contracts that are contracted on a fixed-price basis could result in losses in future periods. Certain of the fixed-price contracts are for the development of new products, services and related technologies. This development work scope is inherently uncertain and subject to significant variability in estimates of the cost and time required to complete the work by us and our suppliers. The operational and technical complexities of fixed-price development contracts create financial risk, which could trigger additional earnings charges, termination provisions, order cancellations, or otherfinancially significant exposure.
Commercial CrewNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has contracted us to design and build the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to transport crews to the International Space Station. During the second quarter of 2022 we successfully completed the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test. A crewed flight test is now expected to be completed in 2023. During the nine and three months ended September 30, 2022, we increased the reach-forward loss by $288 and $195 primarily reflecting increases to estimated costs related to completing the crewed flight tests and revised schedules for both the crewed flight test and three post certification missions. The increase recorded in the third quarter of 2022 wasprimarily driven by timing of the three future post certification missions which are now assumed to be completed by 2026 based on NASA’s revised launch plans. We had previously assumed that the post certification missions would be completed by 2024. Risk remains that we may record additional losses in future periods.
Aerospace Safety Adv Panel is over already but they had a lot to say--too quickly to tweet. Key takeaways: (1) Starliner OFT-2 met many test obj but also produced a number of in-flight anomalies that need to be worked before CFT, delays to post certification flts seem likely;
Sirangelo’s report on the other commercial crew system, Boeing’s Starliner, suggested that more delays are likely before operational flights begin......Sirangelo said OFT-2 met over 250 test objectives and over 15 mission operations demonstrations, but issues remain.“However, it also produced a number of in-flight anomalies that will need to be worked prior to the next flight test. In addition there also will be additional avionics software integration lab testing of new flight software prior to mission execution.” — Mark Sirangelo
NASA and Boeing have been hoping for the first of those missions, PCM-1 or Starliner-1, by the end of 2023, but Sirangelo said NASA is “tracking a number of concerns … including a path for PCM-1 and PCM-2, land loads [as heard] issues, launch vehicle transition over the long term, as well as hardware sparing” that may further delay Starliner coming online.
NASA’s Phil McAlister says an updated date for the crewed flight test of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner could be released as soon as this week. Still closing out a number of in-flight anomalies during the uncrewed OFT-2 test.
Asked about unresolved issues from OFT-2, McAlister says “nothing major” but brings up topics such as parachutes and software. Nothing, he said, that would preclude a crewed test flight “next year.” [CFT is currently scheduled for no earlier than February.]
I've heard the Crew Flight Test is definitely not happening in February, or probably even March, but so far NASA has not said anything on the record.
NASA's Kathy Lueders says just now that Boeing could have chosen to "not do a second uncrewed flight" of Starliner. Says that decision was taken by the company's top level of management. It strikes me as wild that NASA would have gone for that, but Kathy was the boss.
https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1588185919181520896QuoteNASA and Boeing now are targeting April 2023 for the agency’s Crew Flight Test, the first flight with astronauts on Starliner. The date adjustment deconflicts visiting spacecraft traffic at the space station as NASA and Boeing work together to achieve flight readiness.
NASA and Boeing now are targeting April 2023 for the agency’s Crew Flight Test, the first flight with astronauts on Starliner. The date adjustment deconflicts visiting spacecraft traffic at the space station as NASA and Boeing work together to achieve flight readiness.
NASA also confirms that the Fall 2023 crew rotation flight to the ISS will be on board a Crew Dragon. This Crew-7 date very likely pushes the Starliner-1 crew mission, Boeing's first long duration, operational ISS mission, into 2024.
Finally, I would say, from talking to sources that the April date is not particularly firm. It's possible, but far from certain. A summer launch is probably more likely. (cue the humidity jokes)
Topping off an incredible year, #Starliner is being honored with a 2022 @PopSci Best of What's New Award. In May, our spacecraft proved itself ready to carry @NASA_Astronauts to @Space_Station.Read more about the award here: https://www.boeing.com/features/2022/11/starliner-wins-a-2022-popular-science-best-of-whats-new-award.page
All of #Starliner's flight test objectives were achieved during OFT-2, paving the way for next year's crewed flight! @PopSci #BestOfWhatsNew
Starliner team achieves software milestone ahead of crewed flightJanuary 20, 2023Boeing and NASA continue testing in preparation for the upcoming Crew Flight Test scheduled to launch in April 2023. On Dec. 20, the teams successfully completed an integrated mission dress rehearsal to the International Space Station (ISS). Combining tests of software and crew systems along with operations teams, the ASIL Mission Rehearsal (AMR) took place over the course of several days at Boeing’s Avionics and Software Integration Lab (ASIL) located in Houston.During the AMR, NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore, Suni Williams and Mike Fincke worked through mission milestones in coordination with mission operations teams located inside flight control rooms at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Starliner engineering teammates also supported the rehearsal from Boeing’s Mission Control Center located in Florida.The crew worked in a flight deck simulator networked to control rooms and flight-like avionics that operated the same software as will be used during the upcoming test flight. They operated controls as they would do during the mission itself to show that the software is ready to operate the spacecraft from pre-launch, launch, docking to the space station, undocking and the return to Earth through landing.The AMR provided end-to-end testing of hardware configuration, software, communications, preparation configuring hardware and software, routing communications channels, and mapping simulated sensor data. Similar testing was performed ahead of the successful Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) uncrewed mission in early 2022. Similar to the OFT-2 AMR, the CFT AMR ran for over 100 hours since both flight tests planned for a “Day 2” docking and about a week-long stay attached to the ISS.“We began conducting AMRs with the creation of OFT-2, and the integrated team has continued to get more efficient with each rehearsal,” said Aaron Kraftcheck, Starliner avionics, software integration and test manager. “With the participation of our astronauts in this CFT AMR, we have enhanced the team dynamics, and continued to learn and adjust, which is what AMR is all about.”A test of systems and software, the successful AMR milestone paves the way for CFT, though many more simulations and training sessions lie ahead before the astronauts lift off on the first mission to the ISS by the new spacecraft. Up next for Kraftcheck and his Hardware / Software Integration teammates is working with the crew and flight controllers on various integrated failure scenarios to ensure the everyone is fully trained and prepared for anything that could arise during Starliner’s first flight test with astronauts. Then, attention will turn to a series of flight-day parameter updates that will become available as the team nears launch day.
Tony Ceccacci, manager, Starliner Flight Crew Integration, and NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams participate in a mission rehearsal at Boeing’s Avionics and Software Integration Lab in Houston. (Steven Siceloff photo)
NASA's Joel Montalbano says they're targeting mid-April for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner crewed test flight, with Ax-2 later in the second quarter.Still in talks with Roscosmos for integrated crews (seat barters between Soyuz and Crew Dragon) for fall missions.