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#900
by
newpylong
on 07 Jun, 2015 19:52
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Boeing will be ready second they will fly second. Politics have nothing to do with the decision.
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#901
by
davey142
on 08 Jun, 2015 20:52
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Boeing will fly first. More Congress people in their pockets.
You can say whatever you want in response to that however, a simple googling of campaign finance donations will answer your questions. Political realities suck, but this is how it works.
I don't think congress will be the one deciding. That's a NASA decision.
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#902
by
clongton
on 08 Jun, 2015 22:14
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Boeing will fly first. More Congress people in their pockets.
Whichever spacecraft best supports the ISS crew rotation schedule will fly first, and that will be a NASA decision. Congress has no control or influence over ISS crew rotations.
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#903
by
arachnitect
on 09 Jun, 2015 01:15
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Might as well post this for the record:
http://rugged.com/aitech-provides-subsystem-and-computing-boards-boeing%E2%80%99s-new-commercial-crew-transportation-systemAitech Provides Subsystem and Computing Boards for Boeing’s New Commercial Crew Transportation SystemChatsworth, Calif. May 2015 – Aitech Defense Systems Inc. was recently awarded a contract by The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] to provide space-grade products and services to support the Commercial Crew Transportation System (CCTS) and Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft, part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Aitech has been commissioned to develop and produce the crew interface system computer and displays used to physically control and maneuver the capsule. The new subsystem, consisting of a display computer, pilot and copilot displays and keypads, gives the space crew reliable, precision control of the craft using the pilots’ rotational and translational hand controllers.
Doug Patterson, VP, military & aerospace business sector of Aitech, noted, “Being a part of this next generation of manned spacecraft is a testament to the reliable products and services we have been proud to deliver for over three decades. In space, there is no room for error, a philosophy we share in every system and board we deliver.”
As a pioneer in true embedded and mission critical computing technologies for environmentally-demanding, mission-critical applications, Aitech draws on its wealth of experience with rugged, space-qualified boards and subsystems to provide reliable computing solutions for the program.
Boeing’s CST-100 is being developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to resume U.S.-based flights to space by 2017. The CST-100 will transport up to seven passengers or a mix of crew and cargo to the ISS and other low-Earth orbit destinations.
Under the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) phase of the program, Boeing will build three CST-100s at its Kennedy Space Center facility in Florida. The spacecraft will undergo a pad-abort test, an unmanned flight test and, ultimately, the first crewed flight to the ISS in 2017.
Earlier this year, Boeing recently completed the first two milestones in the CCtCap phase: the Certification Baseline Review (CBR) and Ground System Critical Design Review (CDR).
CBR completion allows construction of system hardware, such as the spacecraft and United Launch Alliance (ULA) launch vehicle adaptor, to begin. It also keeps the effort for achieving human-rated certification of the vehicle and ULA Atlas V rocket on track.
The Ground System CDR evaluates all the ground operations and systems, mission operation systems, facilities, training systems, including mock-ups and trainers, and the control center.
Contract Highlights:
• Crew interface system for CST-100 crew capsule
• SP0 SBC and other I/O boards for autonomous rendezvous and docking (AR&D)
• First two program milestones completed by Boeing: CBR and Ground System CDR
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#904
by
Coastal Ron
on 09 Jun, 2015 01:57
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Boeing will fly first. More Congress people in their pockets.
Keep in mind that the only way Congress can legally influence the flow of money is through legislation. But carrying out the law is the responsibility of the executive branch (i.e. controlled by the President), but audited by non-partisan functions within the government such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Since NASA is run by the President, not Congress, and those two don't exactly like each other much, it's hard to see how Congress would have any leverage to try and influence such a decision. And if members of Congress were found to be trying to influence NASA outside the legislative process, that could become a scandal.
I don't see any signs of undue influence on the Commercial Crew program - NASA will pick whoever makes the most sense to fly first, whether that be Boeing or SpaceX. I personally will cheer for both, regardless which order they fly.
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#905
by
A_M_Swallow
on 09 Jun, 2015 15:03
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If SpaceX and Boeing complete within 6 months of each other then political influence may permit one to jump the queue. Outside that first come first served.
Boeing put in a higher bid price so it may need to call in a few favours to ensure the next president does not award all the flights to SpaceX. Plenty of lobbying for redundancy to make sure a monopoly supplier messing up does not leave the USA without human launch ability again.
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#906
by
clongton
on 09 Jun, 2015 15:08
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Again. Who flies first will be determined by the crew rotation schedule - and nothing else. Whichever company is ready to support that schedule when it comes time to rotate crew will fly first.
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#907
by
the_other_Doug
on 09 Jun, 2015 16:30
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If SpaceX and Boeing complete within 6 months of each other then political influence may permit one to jump the queue. Outside that first come first served.
Boeing put in a higher bid price so it may need to call in a few favours to ensure the next president does not award all the flights to SpaceX. Plenty of lobbying for redundancy to make sure a monopoly supplier messing up does not leave the USA without human launch ability again.
The President doesn't have the authority to simply award flights. That's not an Executive Branch function.
The White House can present a budget to Congress that calls for budgeting only one or the other provider, but Congress has the ultimate responsibility to pass that budget, or amend it as they see fit. The President then has the option of vetoing the budget and starting all over from scratch (so to speak), or signing the budget bill that has passed Congress. And I seriously doubt that any President is going to veto a budget over the question of whether or not Boeing and/or SpaceX gets exclusive rights to providing ISS crew rotation flights.
And that just deals with the funding end. Neither the White House nor Congress has the final say as to which provider flies which mission, or can decide to ground one of the vehicles (presumably for safety issues). That's a NASA decision, made with some input from the ISS partners but ultimately made by NASA management.
So, if you want to postulate SpaceX or Boeing applying political pressure to either 1) be named sole provider, or 2) avoid having the other guy being named sole provider, you need to apply pressure up and down the line, on both the White House
and Congress. And even then, political pressure only defines what gets funded. You'd also need to figure out how to apply political pressure to NASA management (mostly non-appointed, non-political figures) to achieve these goals politically.
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#908
by
arachnitect
on 09 Jun, 2015 16:57
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The President doesn't have the authority to simply award flights. That's not an Executive Branch function.
Yes it is.
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#909
by
RonM
on 09 Jun, 2015 17:02
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The President doesn't have the authority to simply award flights. That's not an Executive Branch function.
Yes it is.
That's correct. The President doesn't have the time nor inclination to micromanage NASA, but NASA is part of the executive branch and therefore ultimately answers to the President.
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#910
by
clongton
on 09 Jun, 2015 17:13
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What is with all the conspiracy theory posts? Congress has nothing to do with it. The President has nothing to do with it. Don't any of you understand how ISS crew rotation works? Politics does not, can not and will not influence who flies first. Crew rotations are already scheduled. The Commercial Crew rotation is already scheduled on the IMS. Whichever provider is ready to rotate a crew when it comes time to fly that rotation will fly first - period.
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#911
by
RonM
on 09 Jun, 2015 17:24
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People are getting confused between top level decisions and operational planning.
The politicians in Washington don't care who will fly first. That's way down in the weeds as far as decisions go. They also don't care who's turn it is to pickup the donuts for Mission Control.
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#912
by
A_M_Swallow
on 10 Jun, 2015 03:12
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{snip}
So, if you want to postulate SpaceX or Boeing applying political pressure to either 1) be named sole provider, or 2) avoid having the other guy being named sole provider, you need to apply pressure up and down the line, on both the White House and Congress. And even then, political pressure only defines what gets funded. You'd also need to figure out how to apply political pressure to NASA management (mostly non-appointed, non-political figures) to achieve these goals politically.
Attempts to get a down select to one vehicle design have already started.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/06/asap-commercial-crew-diversified-portfolioBy using two rival designs NASA will solve many problems.
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#913
by
joek
on 12 Jun, 2015 22:09
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Whichever spacecraft best supports the ISS crew rotation schedule will fly first, and that will be a NASA decision. Congress has no control or influence over ISS crew rotations.
Agree, but given that the decision has to be made well in advance, what does "well in advance" mean? Per the RFP, that would (or should) occur no later than at ATP. Given that Boeing has been issued an ATP, that strongly suggests Boeing will fly the first PCM. That does not necessarily mean Boeing will fly the first PCM, but that it is theirs to lose.
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#914
by
clongton
on 13 Jun, 2015 02:00
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Whichever spacecraft best supports the ISS crew rotation schedule will fly first, and that will be a NASA decision. Congress has no control or influence over ISS crew rotations.
Agree, but given that the decision has to be made well in advance, what does "well in advance" mean? Per the RFP, that would (or should) occur no later than at ATP. Given that Boeing has been issued an ATP, that strongly suggests Boeing will fly the first PCM. That does not necessarily mean Boeing will fly the first PCM, but that it is theirs to lose.
It will be a NASA decision. The purpose of my posts was to counter the incorrect posts claiming that the decision would be dictated by congressional politics. It will not.
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#915
by
The Amazing Catstronaut
on 13 Jun, 2015 16:38
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It will be a NASA decision. The purpose of my posts was to counter the incorrect posts claiming that the decision would be dictated by congressional politics. It will not.
Congressional politics will come into play more if there is a down select via indirect influences. However, under present circumstances I concur with you - NASA will will do what suits the occasion without preference.
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#916
by
arachnitect
on 18 Jun, 2015 18:18
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http://www.nasa.gov/feature/mrap-rolls-through-pad-evacuation-runs-0Engineers from Boeing and NASA's Commercial Crew Program, United Launch Alliance and Special Aerospace Service drove the MRAP, short for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, on potential emergency routes at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to determine how much time to allocate in their contingency plans for launches coming up in 2017.
SLC-41 will get slidewire apparently.
Includes some video of the MRAP driving around.
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#917
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 28 Jun, 2015 04:10
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From the CRS-7 press conference, looks like some new dates for CST-100. Go to 23:30 in the video.
Orbital Flight Test (Boe-OFT) is now July 2017, delayed from April.
Post Certification Mission 1 (PCM 1) is December 2017.
The Crewed Flight Test (Boe-CFT) was scheduled for July 2017, but is now probably sometime between OFT and PCM 1. My best guess is October.
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#918
by
sdsds
on 28 Jun, 2015 17:29
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With the loss of IDA-1, would it be possible to fit the early CST-100 capsules with hardware to connect directly with the APAS-95 docking interface of PMA-2? Perhaps NASA could donate spare STS hardware for the purpose?
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#919
by
Rebel44
on 28 Jun, 2015 18:01
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With the loss of IDA-1, would it be possible to fit the early CST-100 capsules with hardware to connect directly with the APAS-95 docking interface of PMA-2? Perhaps NASA could donate spare STS hardware for the purpose?
Second IDA will be flown to ISS this year.
And I expect, that replacement IDA will also be flown before mid 2017.
