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#320
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 15 Jul, 2021 18:11
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#321
by
Vahe231991
on 16 Jul, 2021 22:16
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#322
by
hoku
on 22 Jul, 2021 05:58
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Forward docking port (IDA-2) is now vacant and ready for the arrival of Starliner
Crew Dragon autonomously undocked from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module at 6:45 a.m. and relocated to the space-facing port at 7:35 a.m. completing the second space station port change for the crewed spacecraft.
Next up for commercial crew, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station about one day following its launch at 2:53 p.m. Friday, July 30, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed flight test, NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2), will test the end-to-end capabilities of Starliner from launch to docking, atmospheric re-entry, and a desert landing in the western United States. The uncrewed mission will provide valuable data about Boeing’s crew transportation system, and help NASA certify Starliner and the Atlas V rocket for regular flights with astronauts to and from the space station.https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/?utm_content=125258149
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#323
by
AS_501
on 26 Jul, 2021 04:15
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Will Starliner's launch abort system be armed for this flight? Thx
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#324
by
ncb1397
on 26 Jul, 2021 04:29
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Will Starliner's launch abort system be armed for this flight? Thx
Think so...
In addition, the Boeing team is flying the spacecraft in a configuration as close to the crewed configuration as possible. This includes the abort system being armed for the entire ascent, the first time Starliner’s abort system will be armed during a flight.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/frr-starliner-oft-2/
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#325
by
su27k
on 27 Jul, 2021 05:13
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Boeing’s turnaround threatened by talent exodus to companies like Amazon, SpaceXBoeing will put its battered engineering reputation on the line again this week when its Starliner spacecraft blasts off from Florida with a load of supplies for the International Space Station.
The mission is a do-over of a 2019 trip that almost ended in calamity, and a dress rehearsal for the Boeing capsule’s first flight with astronauts later this year. If successful, it would narrow the gap with an ascendant rival, SpaceX, and answer the latest space-faring feats by the billionaire founders of Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.
A tour de force by Starliner might also help distract from a potential problem Boeing is facing back on earth: An exodus of some of the company’s most experienced engineers that threatens its rebound from a bruising run that includes the grounding of its 737 MAX jets after two fatal crashes and the plunge in global air travel amid the spread of the coronavirus.
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#326
by
AU1.52
on 29 Jul, 2021 20:00
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Cross post from the ISS section: The new Russian module now attached to the ISS engines came as the crew were entering the module. Progress had to fire its engine to compensate.
Starliner launch may be postponed due to Nauka engine incident.Starliner launch may be postponed due to the incident with the inclusion of engines "Science"22:26 07/29/2021 (updated: 22:30 07/29/2021)WASHINGTON, July 29 - RIA Novosti. NASA may postpone the test launch of Boeing's newest spacecraft Starliner due to the situation with the Russian module "Science", according to journalists from specialized publications.The newest Russian module "Science" arrived on the ISS on July 29. After its successful docking with the station, when the crew opened the module hatch, the module's engines turned on unscheduled. To stabilize the ISS, the engines of the Russian Progress spacecraft were turned on, there was no threat to the crew. NASA promised to hold a press briefing on the situation with "Science", but has not yet officially confirmed the possibility of postponing the launch of Starliner. Earlier Thursday, NASA reported that reserve launch dates are August 3-4."There are no details yet, but it looks like preparations are underway to recall (the launch vehicle) Atlas V from the launch pad. This is probably due to problems with Nauka at the International Space Station, " the journalist wrote in his Twitter account. Ars Technica Eric Berger. According to him, "there seems to be no (Starliner) launch on Friday."Space Flight Now also notes on its Twitter account that the Starliner launch is expected to be rescheduled. According to the newspaper, ground services are assessing the problem that caused the unexpected activation of the engines of the module "Science" that arrived at the station.The launch of the newest American spacecraft, which Boeing is building under contract with NASA for its second unmanned test flight, was scheduled for Friday. Earlier in 2019, the ship was already sent for an unmanned test, but was unable to dock with the ISS due to a malfunction of the onboard equipment. According to Boeing, all the ship's deficiencies identified during the inspections have been corrected and it is planned that after the second test flight, it can be allowed to manned tests, which are also expected before the end of the year.As the head of NASA Bill Nelson said at the prelaunch briefing , the only fear for the launch of Starliner is the weather - this season in Florida , where the cosmodrome is located, there are frequent thunderstorms and rains. According to forecasters, the weather forecast at the start time was only 40% of the probability of favorable weather conditions launch.https://ria.ru/20210729/starliner-1743524525.html
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#327
by
sandis
on 09 Aug, 2021 14:37
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August 9, 2021
This weekend, Boeing restored functionality on more of the 13 CST-100 Starliner propulsion system valves that did not open as designed during prelaunch system checks last week.
Boeing has completed physical inspections and chemical sampling on the exterior of a number of the affected valves, which indicated no signs of damage or external corrosion. Test teams are now applying mechanical, electrical and thermal techniques to prompt the valves open. Seven of the 13 valves are now operating as designed, with inspection and remediation of the remaining affected valves to be performed in the days ahead.
Boeing is working a systematic plan to open the affected valves, demonstrate repeatable system performance, and verify the root cause of the issue before returning Starliner to the launch pad for its Orbital Flight Test-2 mission.
The company is assessing multiple launch opportunities for Starliner in August and will work with NASA and United Launch Alliance to confirm those dates when the spacecraft is ready.
https://starlinerupdates.com/boeing-advances-starliner-solutions-in-the-vertical-integration-facility/
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#328
by
jketch
on 12 Aug, 2021 20:55
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#329
by
russianhalo117
on 12 Aug, 2021 21:56
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Unrelated to the ongoing issue is the current Atlantic NHC forecast which is potentially concerning for CCSFS and KSC and the greater Space Coast:
National Hurricane Center
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#330
by
friendly3
on 12 Aug, 2021 23:33
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#331
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 13 Aug, 2021 16:28
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https://starlinerupdates.com/starliner-returning-to-factory-to-resolve-valve-issue/ Starliner Returning to Factory to Resolve Valve Issue
August 13, 2021
Today, Boeing informed NASA that the company will destack its CST-100 Starliner from the Atlas V rocket and return the spacecraft to the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) for deeper-level troubleshooting of four propulsion system valves that remain closed after last Tuesday’s scrubbed launch.
Starliner has sat atop the Atlas V rocket in ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility since August 4, where Boeing teams have worked to restore functionality to the affected valves.
The relocation of the spacecraft to the C3PF will require Boeing, NASA and United Launch Alliance to agree on a new launch date once the valve issue is resolved.
“Mission success in human spaceflight depends on thousands of factors coming together at the right time,” said John Vollmer, vice president and program manager, Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “We’ll continue to work the issue from the Starliner factory and have decided to stand down for this launch window to make way for other national priority missions.”
Boeing will continue to provide information and updates at www.StarlinerUpdates.com as it becomes available.
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#332
by
Lee Jay
on 13 Aug, 2021 17:21
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Wow, that would be a very encouraging scenario. I hope it turns out that way.
Sorry. That's why it was a hypothetical scenario. But if they don't know root cause or can't free the remaining valves, standing down is unquestionably the right thing to do.
They have a suspicion of root cause (water + NTO produced nitric acid which caused the valves to stick) and once they got the valves free they continued to work nominally.
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#333
by
zubenelgenubi
on 13 Aug, 2021 17:23
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Kathy Leuder confirms return of Starliner to C3PF. [From August 13 media teleconference YouTube link in next post.]
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#334
by
Urx
on 14 Aug, 2021 06:59
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Nasa Media Telecon:
Clarifies several things that have been speculated about in the discussion thread.
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#335
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 20 Aug, 2021 06:53
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#336
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 20 Aug, 2021 08:00
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#337
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 21 Sep, 2021 19:30
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https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1440395266322931712Kathy Lueders says "in her gut" Boeing's OFT-2 mission will slip to 2022, but no formal date has been set. It sounds like they are going to pull forward the Service Module that was to be used for a crew mission. The Service Module with the faulty valves may be used later.
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#338
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 23 Sep, 2021 18:46
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twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1441111499301277704
NASA safety advisory panel member George Nield gives an update on Boeing's OFT-2 capsule:
Starliner service module "hardware impacts remain to be determined," and could range from "minor refurbishment" of components to assigning an entire replacement service module.
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1441111694432899080Nield: With the investigation still underway, a new launch window has yet to be determined.
twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1441111943335481348
Nield: Boeing has made "good progress with the hardware, software, and development of procedures" for Starliner.
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1441112228078374922 Nield: However, "there were some rather significant differences in how several safety issues were assessed between NASA and Boeing" before launch.
"We got very close to launch without having identified the valve problem" with OFT-2.
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#339
by
leovinus
on 26 Sep, 2021 18:27
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Nearly two months after discovering a problem with its Starliner spacecraft, Boeing is still searching for answersThe Washington Post
By Christian Davenport, September 24, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
But now, some two months after it first discovered an issue with some of the valves in the spacecraft’s service module, the company still doesn’t know with 100 percent certainty what caused 13 of those valves to remain shut when they should have been open, the latest embarrassment for a program that has suffered a series of blunders. And it’s unclear when the company may attempt to launch it again.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/24/boeingnasastarlinerdelay/