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#380 by arachnitect on 16 Jun, 2022 01:24
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https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ilc-dover-becomes-a-provider-of-ascent--entry-spacesuits-for-boeings-starliner-301555930.htmlQuote
NEWARK, Del., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ILC Dover, the leading provider of spacesuits since the Apollo era, today announced that it was selected to be one of two providers of Boeing's Ascent/Entry Suit (AES) for the company's Commercial Crew Program and has developed a bespoke AES spacesuit for CST-100 Starliner crews.
First I heard of this. CollectSpace has more: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-061522a-boeing-ilc-starliner-spacesuit-adam-savage.htmlQuoteBoeing's next and, as currently planned, final Starliner test flight will carry a crew, who will also wear the David Clark suit, according to a statement released by the company. The ILC AES will be introduced once Boeing begins flying astronauts on NASA-contracted missions to and from the International Space Station in 2023.
NASA not happy with David Clark suit? -
#381 by Dalhousie on 16 Jun, 2022 01:28
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https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ilc-dover-becomes-a-provider-of-ascent--entry-spacesuits-for-boeings-starliner-301555930.html
QuoteNEWARK, Del., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ILC Dover, the leading provider of spacesuits since the Apollo era, today announced that it was selected to be one of two providers of Boeing's Ascent/Entry Suit (AES) for the company's Commercial Crew Program and has developed a bespoke AES spacesuit for CST-100 Starliner crews.
First I heard of this. CollectSpace has more: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-061522a-boeing-ilc-starliner-spacesuit-adam-savage.htmlQuoteBoeing's next and, as currently planned, final Starliner test flight will carry a crew, who will also wear the David Clark suit, according to a statement released by the company. The ILC AES will be introduced once Boeing begins flying astronauts on NASA-contracted missions to and from the International Space Station in 2023.
NASA not happy with David Clark suit?
The ACES was optimised specifically for the Shuttle. Boeing have always being going to use their own suit with Starliner. -
#382 by AstroWare on 16 Jun, 2022 05:01
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https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ilc-dover-becomes-a-provider-of-ascent--entry-spacesuits-for-boeings-starliner-301555930.html
QuoteNEWARK, Del., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ILC Dover, the leading provider of spacesuits since the Apollo era, today announced that it was selected to be one of two providers of Boeing's Ascent/Entry Suit (AES) for the company's Commercial Crew Program and has developed a bespoke AES spacesuit for CST-100 Starliner crews.
First I heard of this. CollectSpace has more: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-061522a-boeing-ilc-starliner-spacesuit-adam-savage.htmlQuoteBoeing's next and, as currently planned, final Starliner test flight will carry a crew, who will also wear the David Clark suit, according to a statement released by the company. The ILC AES will be introduced once Boeing begins flying astronauts on NASA-contracted missions to and from the International Space Station in 2023.
NASA not happy with David Clark suit?
The ACES was optimised specifically for the Shuttle. Boeing have always being going to use their own suit with Starliner.
I think he meant the 'All Blue Suits' (photo right) unveiled with much fanfare iirc in 2017, Built by David Clark.
https://www.space.com/35456-boeing-unveils-starliner-spacesuits-photos.html
This new second source suit by ILC (photo left)
"Boeing has selected two providers for its CST-100 Starliner launch and entry suits. At left, ILC Dover's Ascent and Entry Suit (AES); at right, the David Clark Company Starliner suit. Both of the garments pictured are qualification units."
PHOTO from article Boeing/composite: collectSPACE)
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#383 by Targeteer on 16 Jun, 2022 19:29
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June 16, 2022
RELEASE 22-061
NASA Updates Astronaut Assignments for Boeing Starliner Test Flight
NASA astronauts Suni Williams, left, Barry "Butch" Wilmore, center, and Mike Fincke, right, watch as a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is rolled out to the launch pad.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams, left, Barry "Butch" Wilmore, center, and Mike Fincke, right, watch as a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky
NASA will fly two astronaut test pilots aboard the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission to the International Space Station, where they will live and work off the Earth for about two weeks.
CFT commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore, whom NASA assigned to the prime crew in October 2020, will join NASA astronaut Suni Williams, who will serve as pilot. Williams previously served as the backup test pilot for CFT while assigned as commander of NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission, Starliner’s first post-certification mission. As CFT pilot, Williams takes the place of NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, originally assigned to the mission in 2018. NASA reassigned Mann to the agency’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission in 2021.
Based upon current space station resources and scheduling needs, a short duration mission with two astronaut test pilots is sufficient to meet all NASA and Boeing test objectives for CFT, which include demonstrating Starliner’s ability to safely fly operational crewed missions to and from the space station. To protect against unforeseen events with crew transportation to the station, NASA may extend the CFT docked duration up to six months and add an additional astronaut later, if needed.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, whom the agency previously assigned as the Joint Operations Commander for CFT, will now train as the backup spacecraft test pilot and remains eligible for assignment to a future mission. Fincke’s unique expertise will continue to benefit the team as he retains his position as flight test lead, filling a vital role in Starliner certification.
"Mike Fincke has dedicated the last nine years of his career to these first Boeing missions and Suni the last seven. Butch has done a marvelous job leading the team as the spacecraft commander since 2020,” said Reid Wiseman, chief, Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “It was great to see Starliner’s successful journey to the International Space Station during the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission last month. We are all looking forward to cheering on Butch and Suni as they fly the first crewed Starliner mission."
Wilmore, Williams, and Fincke each have flown previously as long-duration crew members aboard the space station.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps continues to prepare for an upcoming long duration mission aboard Starliner-1. NASA also has identified backup flight opportunities for Epps on the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for additional scheduling and resource flexibility. Epps has begun cross-training on the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to prepare for this possibility.
Meanwhile, NASA and Boeing are continuing to conduct OFT-2 data reviews while assessing future CFT launch opportunities. Following successful completion of the uncrewed OFT-2 mission, the Starliner crew module has returned to Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it will undergo system checkouts and vehicle inspections. The Starliner team is in the process of delivering the initial test flight data to NASA and jointly determining forward work ahead of a crewed flight. These engineering and program reviews are expected to continue for several weeks, culminating in a launch schedule assessment at the end of July, based upon spacecraft readiness, space station scheduling needs, and Eastern Range availability.
“Starliner and the Atlas V performed well during all phases of OFT-2, and now we are taking a methodical look at each system to determine what needs to be upgraded or improved ahead of CFT, just as we do with every other crewed flight,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “Additionally, Butch, Suni, and Mike have been instrumental in the development of Starliner on the path to having a second space station crew transportation system.”
For the crewed flight test, Boeing’s Starliner will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Following a successful CFT mission, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for crew missions to the space station. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the orbiting laboratory. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars, starting with the agency’s Artemis missions, which include landing the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface.
Find out more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -
#384 by FutureSpaceTourist on 01 Jul, 2022 15:49
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https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/yes-boeings-starliner-spacecraft-really-could-fly-astronauts-this-year/Quote
Yes, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft really could fly astronauts this year
Early data reviews of Starliner's first flight look good.
by Eric Berger - Jul 1, 2022 3:34pm GMT
Five weeks have passed since Boeing's Starliner spacecraft returned from a largely successful test flight to the International Space Station, and the company continues to review data from the mission alongside engineers from NASA.
So far, there have been no showstoppers. In fact, sources say, the relatively clean performance of Starliner has increased the possibility that the vehicle could make its first crewed flight this year in December. -
#385 by FutureSpaceTourist on 21 Jul, 2022 16:48
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1550159199472009216Quote
At today’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, Susan Helms says NASA and Boeing still reviewing data from the OFT-2 Starliner mission in May. She notes NASA has seen “improved transparency” from the Boeing team, credited to a change in Boeing management and increased staffing.
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#386 by Star One on 27 Jul, 2022 20:40
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Yet more bad news for the Starliner project.Quote
Boeing disclosed a charge of $93 million in the second quarter for its Starliner astronaut capsule program, bringing the program’s overrun costs to nearly $700 million.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/27/boeing-starliner-astronaut-capsule-charges-near-700-million.html
The aerospace giant said the latest charge was “primarily driven by launch manifest updates and additional costs associated with OFT-2,” or Orbital Flight Test 2. The second uncrewed flight of Starliner successfully completed a six-day-long mission in May, reaching a critical test objective – docking with the International Space Station – as Boeing prepares for the capsule to carry astronauts.
Boeing’s latest Starliner-related charge means the company has absorbed $688 million in costs from delays and additional work on the capsule to date. -
#387 by Targeteer on 11 Aug, 2022 20:16
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August 11, 2022
MEDIA ADVISORY M22-111
NASA, Boeing to Hold Media Update on Starliner Progress
NASA and Boeing will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 25, to provide an update on the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) to the International Space Station – the first flight with astronauts on the company’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.
Leadership on the call also will discuss data reviews from Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 to the space station, which successfully completed in May 2022.
The briefing participants are:
Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, CST-100 Starliner, Boeing
To participate in the call, media must RSVP to: [email protected] no later than one hour prior to the start of the event. Audio of the teleconference will livestream on NASA’s website.
CFT will demonstrate the ability of Starliner and the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket to safely carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. NASA will fly two astronaut test pilots, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, on the flight test to the space station, where they will live and work off the Earth for about two weeks.
Following a successful test flight with astronauts, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for regular crew rotation flights to the space station.
Find out more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -
#388 by Zed_Noir on 12 Aug, 2022 03:59
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If the Starlliner CFT flight is postpone to early 2023. What are the chances of the first operational Starliner flight launching in late 2023?
Don't think a Starliner CFT flight past Q1 2023 will allow scheduling operational Starliner flight until 2024.
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#389 by DanClemmensen on 12 Aug, 2022 04:15
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If the Starlliner CFT flight is postpone to early 2023. What are the chances of the first operational Starliner flight launching in late 2023?
I agree. CFT is a one-week mission, and Boeing and NASA have almost certainly agreed on some particular post-CFT analysis schedule that would need to take place after CFT and that leads to NASA certification and acceptance of Starliner. There is time for all that, before a Q4 Starliner-1 mission, but it would be very awkward if some issue arose during the analysis. Therefore, I speculate that NASA will decide to use Crew Dragon instead.
Don't think a Starliner CFT flight past Q1 2023 will allow scheduling operational Starliner flight until 2024. -
#390 by deadman1204 on 12 Aug, 2022 14:03
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I agree with Dan. They get crew and start prepping like 8-9 months ahead of launch I believe. They'd have to have a crew dragon as a back up which would be really weird (two possible crews and all). Probably more likely to have the first Starliner be the first 2024 flight.If the Starlliner CFT flight is postpone to early 2023. What are the chances of the first operational Starliner flight launching in late 2023?
I agree. CFT is a one-week mission, and Boeing and NASA have almost certainly agreed on some particular post-CFT analysis schedule that would need to take place after CFT and that leads to NASA certification and acceptance of Starliner. There is time for all that, before a Q4 Starliner-1 mission, but it would be very awkward if some issue arose during the analysis. Therefore, I speculate that NASA will decide to use Crew Dragon instead.
Don't think a Starliner CFT flight past Q1 2023 will allow scheduling operational Starliner flight until 2024.
edit: fixed bad date -
#391 by DanClemmensen on 12 Aug, 2022 14:42
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I agree with Dan. They get crew and start prepping like 8-9 months ahead of launch I believe. They'd have to have a crew dragon as a back up which would be really weird (two possible crews and all). Probably more likely to have the first Starliner be the first 2025 flight.If the Starlliner CFT flight is postpone to early 2023. What are the chances of the first operational Starliner flight launching in late 2023?
I agree. CFT is a one-week mission, and Boeing and NASA have almost certainly agreed on some particular post-CFT analysis schedule that would need to take place after CFT and that leads to NASA certification and acceptance of Starliner. There is time for all that, before a Q4 Starliner-1 mission, but it would be very awkward if some issue arose during the analysis. Therefore, I speculate that NASA will decide to use Crew Dragon instead.
Don't think a Starliner CFT flight past Q1 2023 will allow scheduling operational Starliner flight until 2024.
Your Freudian slip is showing I think you meant 2024.
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#392 by deadman1204 on 12 Aug, 2022 18:23
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I agree with Dan. They get crew and start prepping like 8-9 months ahead of launch I believe. They'd have to have a crew dragon as a back up which would be really weird (two possible crews and all). Probably more likely to have the first Starliner be the first 2025 flight.If the Starlliner CFT flight is postpone to early 2023. What are the chances of the first operational Starliner flight launching in late 2023?
I agree. CFT is a one-week mission, and Boeing and NASA have almost certainly agreed on some particular post-CFT analysis schedule that would need to take place after CFT and that leads to NASA certification and acceptance of Starliner. There is time for all that, before a Q4 Starliner-1 mission, but it would be very awkward if some issue arose during the analysis. Therefore, I speculate that NASA will decide to use Crew Dragon instead.
Don't think a Starliner CFT flight past Q1 2023 will allow scheduling operational Starliner flight until 2024. Your Freudian slip is showing I think you meant 2024.
yikes, I did write the wrong date there. Fixed it. -
#393 by gbl on 25 Aug, 2022 16:13
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August 11, 2022
MEDIA ADVISORY M22-111
NASA, Boeing to Hold Media Update on Starliner Progress
NASA and Boeing will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 25, to provide an update on the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) to the International Space Station – the first flight with astronauts on the company’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.
Leadership on the call also will discuss data reviews from Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 to the space station, which successfully completed in May 2022.
The briefing participants are:
Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, CST-100 Starliner, Boeing
To participate in the call, media must RSVP to: [email protected] no later than one hour prior to the start of the event. Audio of the teleconference will livestream on NASA’s website.
CFT will demonstrate the ability of Starliner and the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket to safely carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. NASA will fly two astronaut test pilots, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, on the flight test to the space station, where they will live and work off the Earth for about two weeks.
Following a successful test flight with astronauts, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for regular crew rotation flights to the space station.
Find out more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Link to NASA briefing stream:
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#394 by kdhilliard on 25 Aug, 2022 21:23
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News from today's CFT briefing:
* CFT planned for early February 2023.
* ISS program still plans to alternate Starliner & Crew Dragon missions, one each per year.
* The four major issues from OFT-2 have been resolved:
** OMAC thruster issues likely due to debris -- CFT inspected to ensure it won't happen again.
** RCS thruster problems due to sensor timing issues -- Timing tweaked in mission data load.
** Thermal Conditioning System high pump pressures due to flow restrictions -- Some unneeded filters removed.
** VESTA navigation system generated more data than expected -- Flight software altered to accommodate the data.
* Service Module and Crew Module to be mated in November.
* Work flow supports a February 2023 CFT.
* Boeing is working to have a Starliner ready for PCM-1 in Fall 2023!
* Atlas through PCM-6. Boeing in talk with launch providers about what to do after that; will likely make decision early next year.
* CFT will use the same (but slightly enhanced) short-term solution for the sticky NTO valve problem as was used on OFT-2, but they are redesigning the valve (better moisture sealing; change in material), possibly ready in time for PCM-1.
Some quotes:
4:41Quote from: Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew ProgramCurrently we are targeting a launch date as early as February of 2023. It's a busy time frame around there, and so early February is likely the best windowms]best window.
6:21Quote from: Joel Montalbano, program manager, International Space StationAs you know, long term, we're planning a Starliner visit once a year. Steve mentioned Suni [Sunita Williams] and Butch [Barry Wilmore]. We expect this mission to be docked about eight days. We're still working the details, but think approximately eight days or so. Butch and Suni, in addition to the Starliner activities, we're going to have them do ISS activities, whether it be research utilization and commercialization work or technology delopment, just like we did with Bob and Doug when they were on their SpaceX test mission.
7:43Quote from: Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, CST-100 Starliner, BoeingThe OFT-2 flight, we reported after the mission, was very successful and we were very happy with the observed performance of all our hardware, our software, and of course our team. After the flight we did a lot of in-depth post-test analysis. There are 252 FTOs, or Flight Test Objectives, that we had planned, and we went through and looked at all the data associated with all of those FTOs. And we're just wrapping up with the final report now. Matter of fact, we turn it in tomorrow. So based on that analysis we're even more pleased with how the flight performed, and we're very much looking forward to flying crew on CFT next.
9:22Quote from: Mark NappiFour major areas needing to be looked at and understood really well and then driving some changes for CFT.
The first one was the OMAC [Orbital Maneuvering and Attitude Control] thrusters. If you remember, during the flight we had two thrusters that were deselected during orbital insertion. There was very in-depth fault tree analysis that was performed, and it was determined -- or it's being determined and we're working toward flight rationale -- that we had some debris related conditions that resulted in the deselection and reselecting other thrusters to enable the orbital insertion. So we have done all the inspections required on CFT to make sure that that same condition doesn't exist, and we're ready to move toward the flight rationale once we complete all of the fault tree analysis. But we've done everything we need to do on CFT to clear it.
10:17Quote from: Mark NappiAlso on the Service Module and the Crew Module there were RCS thrusters that were deselected as well. We've determined that the main leading cause of that is low inlet pressures and some manifold dynamics that delayed the sensor responses, and those can be remedied by a very small change to the mission data load that's prepared for each mission. So it's really a tweak of timing and tolerances to be able to make sure that doesn't happen to us again. So that's all in work for CFT.
10:53Quote from: Mark NappiThe active thermal conditioning system -- you remember we had some high pump pressures that were detected during the mission. So we've determined that that was due to a restriction of flow through the lines. There were some filters in the system that we've determined are really not required, and so we've removed those filters to alleviate that problem from happening again in the future.
11:24Quote from: Mark NappiAnd then in the area of the VESTA [Vision-based, Electro-optical Sensor Tracking Assembly] performance. The VESTA system performed very well, but we found that it was collecting quite a bit of data and was more data than could be managed. So we've altered our flight software to accommodate this increase in data, and that's all part of a software revision that's currently in work.
11:49Quote from: Mark NappiSo all that work, along with the team carefully reviewing the flight software and CFT vehicle, all that has resulted in accepting the conditions for CFT for flight. All this work has been planned into our schedules and we've determined that launch readiness date that Steve talked about in the February time frame. Of course as we get closer to that date we'll be able to get an exact date for you.
The preparation of the vehicle on CFT is going extremely well. The Service Module and the Crew Module are on plan, scheduled to be mated in the November time frame. The engineering products, the VCNs [Verification Closure Notices], and all the hazard reports are all in work and we have good plans that get us to support that date in February. And then we have one flight software revision that we're doing that also will support the early February opportunity. Mission operations planning and simulations and training is all in work, and again all will support the schedule. So we're in good shape to execute these plans to be ready for that flight in February.
13:06Quote from: Mark NappiOne other added area is PCM-1 [Post Certification Mission 1]. We have gone through all the same process of baselining our schedules and understanding everything that needs to be completed and we're targeting a Fall opportunity. Both the Crew Module and the Service Module are also in work on the floor, so we have four vehicles in flow in the C3PF [Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility], and when we get closer to vehicle readiness we'll be working a launch date with Steve and company as well.
Q&A:
14:03
Stephen Clark - Spaceflight Now: Was it work on those 4 main areas that pushed CFT from end of year 2022 to February 2023?
Mark Nappi: Yes.
15:14
Joey Roulette - Reuters: Any other problems than those 4 main areas? Also, any plans to certify Vulcan for Starliner?
Mark Nappi:"I'll start with the second half first. We are certainly looking at the launch vehicle integration for when we run out of Atlases after PCM-6. So yes, that is actively in work. Our teams are working with the launch vehicle providers for that, and we'll be having to make a decision probably sometime early next year on what we're going to go do as moving forward." Re first half: There were a number of smaller items as well, with corrections implemented into the flow, but the 4 outlined were the major ones which impacted the schedule.
Steve Stitch: Other minors issues -- such as having to reboot the NASA Docking System. But nothing else really major. "Overall the flight went extremely well."
17:55
Jeff Foust - SpaceNews: What other station activities in the Feburary 2023 time frame?
Steve Stitch: Late February is pretty busy preparing for a Soyuz handover in early March, then the Crew-5 / Crew-6 handover.
Joel Montalbano: First six months of 2023 incredibly busy with SpaceX Cargo mission, Crew-5 / Crew-6 handover, Soyuz handover, Progress mission, Northrop Grumman mission, and an Axiom-2 mission as well. "From a priority standpoint, CFT is a big deal for us. Our Agency goal is to get two US commercial providers up and running as soon as we can. And so when these guys are ready in February, we'll be making sure there's room for them. And they will be high priority unless we're working a major issue onboard Space Station."
20:23
Irene Klotz - Aviation Week: What's up with the valve redesign [for the sticky NTO valves which scrubbed the 2021 OFT-2 attempt]?
Mark Nappi: Recapped problem and near-term solution for OFT-2. Problem did not reoccur on OFT-2. Will fly the same near-term solution on CFT, but enhanced slightly since incorporated during build. Also actively working on a valve redesign "to completely seal the areas where moisture can come in and to change the material from aluminum to something probably closer to CRES [Corrosion Resistant (Stainless) Steel] so that we don't see the same type of combination of issues that will create corrosion. That design schedule has been laid out. It's tight for PCM-1, so we have to go work that schedule to see if we can get it in for PCM-1. If we can't then obviously we have other alternatives. But our goal is to try to get it done as soon as possible."
23:03
Tim Fernholz - Quartz: Any non-NASA customers for Starliner in the works? Will Starliner be profitable?
Mark Nappi: Boeing's priority is meeting commitments to NASA, flying PCM-1 through 6. But Boeing is also looking at what can be done to increase the profitability of the program. "There are a number of things we are actively working, as in the PAM [Private Astronaut Missions] missions, we have an opportunity to create a 5th seat for our vehicle, and then there are other opportunities in Low Earth Orbit. There seems to be a very big market for us to address. In order to do that, there's quite a bit of activity in our company to determine how do we want to work on our vehicle to make it long lasting and something that can be turned around quickly and be able to support the number of missions that are out there in our Low Earth Orbit market. We are actively working that to understand what we can go accomplish."
24:56
Marcia Dunn - Associated Press: What was the source of the debris behind the OMAC thruster problem?
Mark Nappi: "Unfortunately we don't get the hardware back. So we will never know exactly what was the issue." Fault tree analysis suggests debris as leading root cause -- could make a number of guesses as to source, but don't know. Inspection ensures it will not be an issue for CFT.
26:44
Marcia Smith - SpacePolicyOnline.com: How disruptive have Dragon capsule return weather delays been, and will this be less of an issue with Starline?
Steve Stitch: Meeting Dragon return weather criteria has been challenging, but Starliner will also have wind limits for landing which may be equally challenging, though we did have good conditions for OFT-1 & 2.
Joel Montalbano: Mission extensions do cause a small impact with consumables, though about a week's worth is planned for; the good thing is that the astronauts are tasked with additional work during a mission extension. There's always more work to do on Station than people to do it.
29:50
David Kerley - Discovery Channel: What plans are there for crew accommodations during handovers?
Joel Montalbano: We now have an extra sleep station in the Columbus module called CASA [Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodation]; crew can sleep in visiting vehicles; there's extra room in Columbus module and in the airlock. Sleep arrangements are planned in advance in coordination with the crews, and each crew has their own preference, but the extra crew is easy to accommodate for the short amount of time of a handover.
31:09
Stephen Clark: Is Boeing still a launch vehicle agnostic spacecraft, and is Boeing really looking at other providers than ULA?
Mark Nappi: Yes, Boeing is looking at different options; it's just part of the business. Yes, Starliner is launch vehicle agnostic, but not easily so, given the need for different adapters and launch operations with different providers.
32:35
Irene Klotz: Can you discuss the new requirements for PAM [Private Astronaut Mission] missions?
Kathryn Lueders: Learned a lot from Axiom-1. At least for next couple PAM missions we will require an experienced crew member to support the other PAM members to ensure the PAM operations go smoothly. The PAM operations went smoothly as a joint team with Axiom-1, but we will continue to learn as we go.
36:50
Joey Roulette: When will Soyuz / Starliner seat swaps start?
Joel Montalbano: Will start working that this fall. Current Integrated Crew Agreement is for one flight per year in 2022, 2023, & 2024 with Soyuz / Crew Dragon seat swaps, but as soon as the September / October campaigns are over we will work on trying to fold in Boeing and make it a long-term agreement with a seat swap on every flight. The goal is a modification to the existing agreement, with Starliner on the same terms as Crew Dragon, that being a no-cost barter, regardless of the vehicle.
38:50
David Kerley: What is the protocol for testing Starliner flight software revisions?
Mark Nappi: Rigorous software release process: choice (by Boeing & NASA) of items to be included in a new revision; coordination through a Program Control Board; then the software change process itself with a rigorous set of software sprints, exhaustive testing through the simulation and labs, released as version and tested again with more parties. Just recently, at end of July, identified items to go into Rev 1.5.2, and they are now going through that rigorous process and won't be released until late October / early November.
David Kerley: Is it tested once it's on the vehicle?
Mark Nappi: "Absolutely."
Steve Stitch: NASA team follows along with every software change. Boeing's ASIL [Avionics and Software Integration Lab] facility is a replica of the avionics system with the flight software for testing. It is also deployed to simulators and tested with crew training. NASA has also implemented an ASIL mission rehearsal where all the sequences used for flight are run through. Same process used for OFT-2, and software performed very well for that flight.
42:16
Kathryn Lueders: Closing remarks: Teams are working together well toward the early 2023 CFT. Everyone wishes Artemis well on *its* uncrewed test flight. "Go Artemis!"
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#395 by Sesquipedalian on 26 Aug, 2022 03:28
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First, well done on this post. A great overall summary; great summaries on the various questions; and the timestamps are awesome.
23:03
Tim Fernholz - Quartz: Any non-NASA customers for Starliner in the works? Will Starliner be profitable?
Mark Nappi: First priority is meeting commitments to NASA, flying PCM-1 through 6. Second is actively working plans to increase the profitability of the program, from PAM [Private Astronaut Missions] missions (with 5th seat on Starliner) to commercial destinations.
Point of clarification here. I'm certain that the PAMs and the 5th seat are two different opportunities. The 5th seat would be part of a standard ISS flight, but with a 5th person, presumably someone who is normally in the running for an ISS mission. This was one of the big marketing points during Starliner's original bid. The PAMs would be separate missions like Axiom-1.
Listening to the actual audio, these are the words spoken:
"...there are a number of things that we are actively working, as in the PAM missions, we have an opportunity to create a 5th seat for our vehicle, and then there are other opportunities..."
I think "5th seat" is a separate phrase on its own, not a phrase describing the PAM mission. The words are not as clear as they could be, and this is where historical context can be helpful. -
#396 by kdhilliard on 26 Aug, 2022 04:52
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Point of clarification here. I'm certain that the PAMs and the 5th seat are two different opportunities.
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Thanks! I think you're right so I've shifted that part from a poorly punctuated paraphrase to a direct quote. -
#397 by zubenelgenubi on 26 Aug, 2022 18:29
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Excellent summary! -
#398 by FutureSpaceTourist on 21 Sep, 2022 19:06
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https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1572661190370672640Quote
According to NASA's internal schedule, Scott Tingle will now serve as commander of Starliner-1, the first operational mission to ISS. Mike Fincke will be pilot. A third crewmember is TBD. Could fly as early as August 2023 if demo mission goes well in early 2023.
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#399 by Targeteer on 30 Sep, 2022 15:48
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What is up with the administrative gymnastics of Epps status on this flight?
September 30, 2022
RELEASE 22-103
NASA Updates Crew Assignments for First Starliner Crew Rotation Flight
NASA has added two astronauts to the agency’s Boeing Starliner-1 launch to the International Space Station, the spacecraft’s first mission following completion of its flight tests and certification.
Astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke of NASA will serve as the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, for the mission. Both astronauts have previously flown as crew members aboard the space station.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps remains assigned as a mission specialist on Starliner-1. Epps also continues cross-training on the Dragon spacecraft to protect for other flight opportunities.
The agency’s Starliner crew rotation missions to the space station will carry four crew members at a time. Future crew assignments for Starliner-1 will be made following review and approval by the agency and its international partners.
Starliner-1 will launch following the successful completion of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), which aims to demonstrate Starliner’s ability to achieve NASA certification and safely fly regular crewed missions to space station.
Boeing is targeting launch of its first test flight with astronauts in early February 2023, pending space station program approval, rocket manifest, and confirmation by the Eastern Range. Starliner will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
After a successful CFT mission, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for future crewed missions to the space station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
For more than 21 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Regular commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the station and prepare for future commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit. As part of Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
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Press Contacts
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Brittney Thorpe / Jennifer Wolfinger
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Your Freudian slip is showing