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#280 by SMS on 18 Jan, 2021 15:10
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Boeing Completes Software Qualification for Second Starliner Test Flight
January 18, 2021
Boeing recently completed its formal requalification of the CST-100 Starliner’s flight software in preparation for its next flight. The autonomous spacecraft will fly to the International Space Station during a second uncrewed flight test, Orbital Flight Test-2, in March, ahead of a first crewed flight with NASA astronauts later this year.
Teams in Houston and across the country conducted a full review of Starliner’s flight software and the process by which mission modifications or upgrades will be formally qualified in the future.
“The work this team put into exhaustively wringing out our software is a defining moment for the program,” said John Vollmer, Starliner vice president and program manager. “We’re smarter as a team having been through this process, and most importantly, we’re smarter as a human spaceflight community.”
The team began by evaluating Starliner’s software requirements and the testing associated with its verification. Reviews were conducted to ensure Starliner’s Houston-based Avionics and Software Integration Lab, or ASIL, was sufficiently outfitted and configured to support all testing. Additional assessments were made to verify the complete integration of software with all recommended flight hardware. Software engineers also validated all the simulators and emulators to ensure they were accurate models.
The team then conducted a series of tests to confirm Starliner’s updated software met design specifications. They also conducted static and dynamic tests inside the software integration lab, including hundreds of cases ranging from single command verifications to comprehensive end-to-end mission scenarios with the core software.
When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the team’s progress, the program swiftly transitioned to virtual work, and enlisted support from across the company.
“Throughout all the turmoil 2020 handed us, this team remained energetic and inspired to be successful,” said Aaron Kraftcheck, Starliner’s software test and verification manager. “They want to do their very best for their country and their fellow citizens by helping to restore the pride NASA has in flying humans safely in space.”
Hardware and software integrated test events are planned with the spacecraft’s launch vehicle provider, United Launch Alliance, to further strengthen that portion of the qualification test regimen, and with NASA’s International Space Station program to verify Starliner’s code is robust and error-free throughout joint docking and undocking operations.
Boeing will then run through an end-to-end simulation of the OFT-2 test flight in the company’s ASIL using flight hardware and the final versions of Starliner’s flight software to accurately model the spacecraft’s expected behavior. The simulation will be conducted over several days and includes complete pre-launch to docking and undocking to landing events.
“As we continue carrying out these critical milestones and reviews, we remain true to our values of safety, quality and integrity,” Vollmer said. “Completing OFT-2 brings us one step closer to our end goal of transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station this year.”
https://starlinerupdates.com/boeing-completes-software-qualification-for-second-starliner-test-flight/ -
#281 by jacqmans on 22 Jan, 2021 07:33
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Boeing’s Starliner crew module is weighed in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 14, 2021, in preparation for the company’s second Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2), as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.. The Weight and Center of Gravity test measures the weight and balance of the spacecraft to ensure optimal performance during launch and re-entry. The test helps to validate parameters required for launching on the Atlas V rocket, docking to the International Space Station and for navigation of the vehicle, among others.
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#282 by otlski on 23 Jan, 2021 00:26
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Boeing’s Starliner crew module is weighed in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 14, 2021, in preparation for the company’s second Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2), as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.. The Weight and Center of Gravity test measures the weight and balance of the spacecraft to ensure optimal performance during launch and re-entry. The test helps to validate parameters required for launching on the Atlas V rocket, docking to the International Space Station and for navigation of the vehicle, among others.
Thank you for posting those pictures! Every time (except for once) I ask Boeing for pictures, I hit a stonewall. The Weight and CG machine is my company's product; a young engineer and I did the design, and lots of good people worked very hard to made it happen. It is always great to see it in action. Do you have any pictures of the CCV stack from earlier OFT-1 to share? -
#283 by yg1968 on 25 Jan, 2021 14:10
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Quote from: NASA Commercial Crew
Launch Update 🚀 @NASA and @BoeingSpace are now targeting no earlier than March 25 for the launch of the Orbital Flight Test-2 mission — Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the @Space_Station
http://go.nasa.gov/2MkFUT9
https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1353720060179836930
https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace/status/1353720784548720670 -
#284 by jacqmans on 25 Jan, 2021 15:57
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The Boeing Starliner crew module is hoisted across the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 14, 2021, to be mated with the service module. The Starliner spacecraft is being prepared for Boeing’s second Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2). As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, OFT-2 is a critical developmental milestone on the company’s path to fly crew missions for NASA.
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#285 by jacqmans on 25 Jan, 2021 15:58
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#286 by jacqmans on 28 Jan, 2021 13:57
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#287 by Ben E on 31 Jan, 2021 06:09
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Not sure if this is 'news', or everyone already knows this already, but here are the CFT-1 crew designators:
Barry "Butch" Wilmore - Commander (CDR)
Nicole Mann - Pilot (PLT)
Mike Fincke - Joint Operations Commander (JOC) -
#288 by yg1968 on 03 Feb, 2021 14:34
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#289 by FutureSpaceTourist on 03 Feb, 2021 19:45
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1357067394804559876Quote
NASA and Boeing $BA are targeting no earlier than September for Starliner's first crewed flight, assuming the success of the upcoming Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) that is expected to launch on Mar. 25:
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#290 by yg1968 on 03 Feb, 2021 19:46
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NASA's tweet on the same topic:Quote from: commercial crew
Media are invited to attend launch activities for @NASA’s @BoeingSpace Orbital Flight Test-2 mission — targeted for no earlier than (NET) March 25. 🚀
Following a successful mission, NASA & Boeing are targeting NET September 2021 for the Crew Flight Test:
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-prelaunch-launch-activities-for-boeing-s-orbital-flight-test-2/
https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1357066577074675716 -
#291 by FutureSpaceTourist on 17 Feb, 2021 22:16
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Slipped a week
https://twitter.com/free_space/status/1362178286395285506
QuoteBoeing Starliner OFT-2 target launch delayed from March 25 to April 2. "...replaced [Starliner] avionics units affected by a power surge [at KSC, unrelated to winter storm] during final checkouts." @BoeingSpace mentions but does not elaborate on impact from Houston power outages.
Edit to add: Boeing still having configuration issues ...
https://twitter.com/free_space/status/1362180094064787461QuoteBit more: the power surge happened Feb. 10 in Boeing KSC Hazardous Processing Area where final vehicle checkouts are underway. "Vehicle boxes were exposed to a higher voltage than designed due to a ground support equipment configuration issue," says Boeing.
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#292 by FutureSpaceTourist on 18 Feb, 2021 16:14
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1362449908062691330Quote
NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel says it is waiting for "NASA to take action on a safety culture audit" of Boeing $BA "that had recently been planned and was to be conducted by now."
Edit to add:
https://twitter.com/joroulette/status/1362451023466557442QuoteNASA safety panel is "pleased" with Boeing's progress on fixing issues from the failed 2019 Starliner test flight, but they're "still waiting for NASA to take action on a safety culture audit that had recently been planned." It's "imperative" that review finishes before OFT2.
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#293 by FutureSpaceTourist on 26 Feb, 2021 17:38
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twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1365363224581988354Quote
NASA says that the assessment of Boeing's safety culture, ordered in the wake of the flawed OFT-1 mission, has been postponed until after OFT-2 because of Covid. That’s a delay of more than a year. The agency says it will complete the review before Boeing’s crewed flight test. 1/
https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1365363380765290499QuoteFrom the statement: “The goal of the OSA is to provide a comprehensive safety assessment through individual employee interviews with a sampling from a cross-section of personnel, including senior managers, mid-level management and supervision, and engineers and technicians...” 2/
twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1365363475560726536Quote“NASA currently is working to determine the best approach for conducting the employee interviews given COVID-19 restrictions to ensure we are moving forward as safely as possible while still gathering the data we need for the assessment.” 3/
https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1365363540534697985Quote“NASA continues to maintain insight into Boeing’s compliance with the agency's safety requirements and processes through normal work activities.” 4/
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#294 by zubenelgenubi on 01 Mar, 2021 23:31
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1366445151250481158Quote
NASA’s Steve Stich says Crew-2 is still no earlier than April 20, but may adjust date to optimize orbital mechanics. Still looking to fly between Soyuz missions in early April and beta cutout in May.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1366445760267583496QuoteStich says the OFT-2 Starliner mission is about two weeks behind schedule in part because of lost time to do software work in Houston during last month’s winter storm.
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#295 by FutureSpaceTourist on 03 Mar, 2021 00:53
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https://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/status/1366895547861377026Quote
The second unpiloted test flight of Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule to the International Space Station is not expected to launch before May after the recent winter storm in Texas impacted a facility required for spacecraft software testing. spaceflightnow.com/2021/03/02/boe…
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#296 by FutureSpaceTourist on 04 Mar, 2021 18:49
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https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2021/03/04/nasa-and-boeing-evaluating-launch-date-for-orbital-flight-test-2/Quote
NASA and Boeing Evaluating Launch Date for Orbital Flight Test-2
NASA and Boeing are evaluating a new target launch date for the CST-100 Starliner’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) to the International Space Station after winter storms in Houston, and the recent replacement of avionics boxes, set the program back about two weeks. NASA also is weighing the volume of verification and validation analysis required prior to the test flight and the visiting vehicle schedule at the International Space Station.
Previously, the launch was targeted for no earlier than April 2.
An important factor the teams are evaluating is the visiting vehicle schedule at the International Space Station, which already has a scheduled crewed Soyuz launch and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission in April. Based on the current traffic at the space station, NASA does not anticipate that OFT-2 can be accomplished later in April. NASA and Boeing are working to find the earliest possible launch date.
“Boeing and NASA have worked extremely hard to support an early-April launch but we need to assess alternatives to ensure NASA’s safety work can be accomplished. NASA and Boeing know we fly together,” said Kathy Lueders, associate administrator, NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. “Boeing has done an incredible amount of work on Starliner to be ready for flight and we’ll provide an update soon on when we expect to launch the OFT-2 mission.”
“I’m grateful for the extraordinary work being undertaken by our NASA partners as we progress towards our OFT-2 mission,” said John Vollmer, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “And I’m very proud of the Boeing Starliner team for working so diligently to get the hardware, software and certification closure products ready for flight. We’re committed to demonstrating the safety and quality of our spacecraft and progressing to our crewed test flight and the missions beyond.”
The company has been conducting dry-runs ahead of an end-to-end mission rehearsal that will allow the operations team to practice and observe integrated interactions through the whole mission profile, from launch to docking and undocking to landing. Additionally, power-on testing and checkouts of the OFT-2 vehicle, with new avionics boxes installed, have been completed successfully. Spacecraft fueling operations and the stacking of the launch vehicle are also ready to commence.
Author Danielle Sempsrott
Posted on March 4, 2021
Categories Boeing, Commercial Crew, Commercial Spaceflight, International Space Station, Kennedy Space Center, NASA -
#297 by Lars-J on 09 Mar, 2021 00:54
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Quote
Col. Mike Fincke @AstroIronMike
@BoeingSpace's new CST-100 #Starliner Spacecraft #2 is getting ready for launch soon and our Flight Test Crew had a chance to help with some ground testing too. Loving the new suits! More pics coming soon. Stay Tuned!
@NASA @ulalaunch
https://twitter.com/AstroIronMike/status/1369088989064527874
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#298 by SoftwareDude on 29 Mar, 2021 00:31
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Quote
After years of cost overruns, errors and delays, Boeing’s space program is facing a major test: Later this year it will likely make its second attempt to launch its Starliner crew capsule to the International Space Station. WSJ looks at the company’s path to this crucial moment, and what’s riding on the test flight’s success. Illustration: Alex Kuzoian/WSJ
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#299 by snotis on 31 Mar, 2021 22:22
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Quote
There's no official confirmation of this yet, but another launch slip of Boeing's Orbital Flight 2 mission is coming. @SpaceflightNow has already moved the mission to "Late July" and a source tells me the same. May be due to avionics, but I'm not certain.
https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1377385340361662467