Starliner is currently re pressurizing the ISS stack with it's remaining O2 since it won't be needed for re-entry... MCC just called up a change in procedure to lower the rate and prevent starts/stops
As NASA and Boeing prepare to return the company’s Starliner spacecraft uncrewed from the International Space Station to Earth, safety and mission success remain as top priorities for the teams. Mission managers will complete a series of operational and weather checks before the spacecraft undocks from the orbital complex. The Starliner spacecraft is the first American capsule designed to touch down on land, supporting expedited astronaut and cargo recovery on future missions and to aid the company in spacecraft refurbishment. For Starliner missions, NASA and Boeing will use potential landing locations in the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Willcox, Arizona; and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Edwards Air Force Base in California also is available as a contingency landing site. Twenty-four hours before undocking, NASA analyzes weather predictions for the various landing sites. Winds at the selected landing site must be 6 mph (approximately 6 knots) or less when flying with crew, and approximately 13 mph (12 knots) or less when uncrewed. Ground temperatures must be warmer than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cloud ceiling must be at least 1,000 feet. One nautical mile of visibility is required, and the area must be clear of precipitation, thunderstorms, and lightning within approximately a 22-mile (35-kilometer) radius. When teams proceed with undocking, Starliner will complete a series of departure burns, allowing it to reach its landing site in as little as six hours. A final weather check also occurs before the spacecraft’s deorbit burn. Winds must be at or below 10 mph (9 knots). If winds exceed these limits, teams will waive the deorbit burn, and Starliner will target another landing attempt between 24 and 31 hours later. Once clear to proceed, Starliner executes its deorbit burn, which lasts approximately 60 seconds, slowing it down enough to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and committing the spacecraft to its targeted site. Immediately after the deorbit burn, Starliner repositions for service module disposal, which will burn up during re-entry over the southern Pacific Ocean. Following service module separation, the command module maneuvers into re-entry position. During re-entry, the capsule experiences plasma buildup – reaching temperatures up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit – that may interrupt communications with the spacecraft for approximately four minutes. Once Starliner re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, the forward heatshield – located on the top of the spacecraft – is jettisoned at 30,000 feet, exposing the two drogue and three main parachutes for deployment. The parachutes will continue to slow the spacecraft down as the base heatshield is jettisoned at 3,000 feet, allowing the six landing bags to inflate. At touchdown, the spacecraft is traveling at approximately 4 mph. The NASA and Boeing landing and recovery team is stationed at a holding zone near Starliner’s intended landing site. After landing, a series of five teams move in toward the spacecraft in a sequential order. The first team to approach the spacecraft is the gold team, using equipment that “sniffs” the capsule for any hypergolic fuels that didn’t fully burn off before re-entry. They also cover the spacecraft’s thrusters. Once given the all-clear, the silver team moves in. This team electrically grounds and stabilizes Starliner before the green team approaches, supplying power and cooling to the crew module since the spacecraft is powered down. The blue team follows, documenting the recovery for public dissemination and future process review. The red team, which includes Boeing fire rescue, emergency medical technicians, and human factors engineers, then proceed to Starliner, opening the hatch.The landing and recovery team begins unloading time-critical cargo from Starliner. The spacecraft is then transferred to Boeing facilities at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for refurbishment ahead of its next flight.
The hatch on @BoeingSpace's #Starliner spacecraft was closed today at 1:29 p.m. ET and the spacecraft is set to undock from @Space_Station at 6:04 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 6.Follow the agency’s live coverage: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-starliner-news-conference-return-to-earth/
NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test Re-entry and LandingNASA7 Sept 2024Watch live as Boeing's uncrewed Starliner spacecraft leaves low Earth orbit, reenters Earth's atmosphere, and touches down at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Starliner is scheduled to begin its deorbit burn at 11:17 p.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 6 (0317 UTC Sept. 7), with landing scheduled for 12:03 a.m. EDT (0403 UTC) on Saturday, Sept. 7.
NEW MEXICO-OFF SHORE CALIFORNIA-LAUNCH REENTRY-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONHazardous operations will be conducted by Boeing CST-100 Starliner on 6-8 September, 2024. The uncrewed Boeing Starliner is scheduled to undock from the ISS No Earlier Than (NET) 6 September at 15:04 with landing at White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH), New Mexico on 6 September, 2024 at 21:02 on an Ascending Approach. If the deorbit burn is waived off on 6 September, 2024 the backup landing site is Dugway Proving Ground (DGWY), Utah on 7 September, 2024 at approximately 21:53 on an Ascending Approach. Mariners operating offshore are advised of potential of falling debris that may present a hazard to vessels in the Pacific Ocean due to space operations. Mariners are advised to avoid the below bounded area and operate in a heightened state of awareness.Hazard Area A:12:11 19 June, 2024 until 13:12 19 June, 2024SOUTH EASTERN PACIFIC & SOUTHPACIFIC21-16-00N 122-22-00W18-25-00N 118-33-00W05-04-00N 136-09-00W02-22-00N 139-54-00WMariners are advised to remain clear of these areas for the duration of operations. For more details or comments contact Matt Dulski at 281-483-9112 or [email protected].
Spot #Starliner on its way back to Earth! After the spacecraft undocks from the @Space_Station on Sept. 6, it will soar through Earth's skies before landing in New Mexico. If you're on the visibility path (all times MT) and skies are clear, look up and you might see it.
