December 10, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-138
NASA, Boeing to Hold Media Teleconference on Orbital Flight Test Mission
NASA and Boeing will hold a news teleconference Thursday, Dec. 12, following the agency’s Flight Readiness Review for Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT) to the International Space Station, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The teleconference will begin no earlier than 2 p.m. EST, or approximately one hour after the review ends. The start time will be adjusted as necessary. Media may participate and ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact Kennedy’s News Center at 321-867-2468 or [email protected] by 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12.
Audio of the teleconference will stream live online at:
https://www.nasa.gov/live
Briefing participants include:
Phil McAlister, director, NASA Commercial Spaceflight Development
Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
John Mulholland, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Program
Steve Koerner, director, Flight Operations
Launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is targeted for 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s uncrewed flight test will be Starliner’s maiden mission to the International Space Station, which, is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to return human spaceflight launches to the space station from American soil on America spacecraft and rockets.
For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Latest:
Thursday, Dec. 12, No Earlier Than 3 p.m.: Media teleconference on Boeing's Orbital Flight Test. NASA and Boeing will hold a news teleconference following the agency’s Flight Readiness Review for Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT) to the International Space Station, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Audio of the teleconference will stream live on this page.
Hopefully some documentation like this becomes available for Commercial Crew once its actually in service Are there any slides available from today's FFR? Is there a transcript of today's meeting forthcoming?
Hopefully some documentation like this becomes available for Commercial Crew once its actually in service Are there any slides available from today's FFR? Is there a transcript of today's meeting forthcoming?
I would expect not to have much. Under commercial crew, both Boeing and SpaceX have much more control over IP rights, and nearly everything is very closely held.
OFT Launch, NASA TV coverage, UTC:
Tuesday, Dec. 17
19.00 (no earlier than) – Prelaunch briefing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Participants include:
Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
Joel Montalbano, deputy manager, International Space Station Program
John Mulholland, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Program
John Elbon, chief operating officer, United Launch Alliance
Pat Forrester, astronaut office chief, Johnson Space Center
Will Ulrich, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron
Thursday, Dec. 19
14:30 – NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine near the Countdown Clock with:
Robert Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
Mike Fincke, NASA Astronaut, Starliner Crew Flight Test
Nicole Mann, NASA Astronaut, Starliner Crew Flight Test
Chris Ferguson, Boeing Astronaut, Starliner Crew Flight Test
Suni Williams, NASA Astronaut, Starliner first operational mission crew
Josh Cassada, NASA Astronaut, Starliner first operational mission crew
Friday, Dec. 20
10:30 – NASA TV launch coverage begins for the launch (11:36 , Space Launch Complex 41,Cape Canaveral Air Force Station).
14.00 – Administrator postlaunch news conference. Participants include:
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
Jim Chilton, Boeing senior vice president, Space and Launch Division
Astronauts Chris Ferguson, Mike Fincke, and Nicole Mann
14:30 – Launch team postlaunch news conference
Steve Stich, deputy manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
Boeing representative (to be determined)
ULA representative (to be determined)
Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
Astrovan II will transport the astros to the pad.
VIDEO: Boeing Starliner OFT Rollout - Plus Factory Tour.
Atlas V rolled out to SLC-41 with Starliner ahead of the OFT mission - timelapse.
Meanwhile, NASASpaceFlight's Brady Kenniston (@TheFavoritist) visited Boeing's Starliner factory.
I got the answer on why Starliner and Centaur are suborbital at MECO.
Centaur can get Starliner all the way to orbit. Boeing early on asked for a near orbital but still suborbital trajectory so they can burn the unused launch abort fuel by firing the OMACs to reduce mass quickly and lighten Starliner for the trip up to ISS instead of carrying all the unused fuel around.
