Boeing Starliner

The Spaceship launch, independentely by the result, will change the game's rules forever.

After Starship launch the Starliner will be' more or less like Jurassic stuff...
 

Boeing Advances Starliner Solutions in the Vertical Integration Facility
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.

Boeing will continue to provide information at www.StarlinerUpdates.com as it becomes available.
 
Make of this what you will.


08/10/2021 11:06

Research Center. M.V. Keldysh (part of Roskosmos) is ready to assist Boeing in solving the problems of the Starliner spacecraft. This was announced on Tuesday to TASS by the general director of the enterprise Vladimir Koshlakov.

“We are well aware of the level of development of American engine building, we are well aware of all their developments, therefore, if we apply, we will be ready to help,” Koshlakov said .

According to the general director of the Keldysh Center, the corresponding order was given by the general director of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin.

“The Keldysh Center is a leading organization in the rocket and space industry in the field of rocket propulsion. In fact, we are engaged in all types of rocket engines that only exist, ”said Koshlakov.

Source: TASS
August 10, 2021, 10:49

 
Make of this what you will.


08/10/2021 11:06

Research Center. M.V. Keldysh (part of Roskosmos) is ready to assist Boeing in solving the problems of the Starliner spacecraft. This was announced on Tuesday to TASS by the general director of the enterprise Vladimir Koshlakov.

“We are well aware of the level of development of American engine building, we are well aware of all their developments, therefore, if we apply, we will be ready to help,” Koshlakov said .

According to the general director of the Keldysh Center, the corresponding order was given by the general director of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin.

“The Keldysh Center is a leading organization in the rocket and space industry in the field of rocket propulsion. In fact, we are engaged in all types of rocket engines that only exist, ”said Koshlakov.

Source: TASS
August 10, 2021, 10:49

It would be a better troll if their latest station module hadn't just staggered into orbit half-dead, limped to the station like Kerri Strug, then knocked mankind's most expensive construct into a tumble because it didn't realize it had already berthed.
 
Boeing’s Starliner to go back to factory for repairs, probably causing another major delay for troubled program


"Boeing said Friday that it will remove its Starliner spacecraft from atop of a rocket to fix valves that have remained stuck, a decision that will probably force yet another months-long delay in its do-over of a test flight without astronauts aboard.

Boeing engineers have been trying since Aug. 3 to fix the problem, one in a series of significant issues that have plagued its spacecraft program for years. Boeing had been hoping to restore functionality to the valves and get a launch off to the International Space Station this month under its contract with NASA.

But the decision to move the spacecraft into a processing facility means the issue is a troublesome one, and because of other missions to the space station will probably mean that the launch will not go off until next year."
 
From a 2019 entry on the Arstechnica.com site:

Starliner-NASA Commercial Crew Development Program: https://arstechnica.com/science/201...boeing-seat-prices-are-60-higher-than-spacex/

NASA report finds Boeing seat prices are 60% higher than SpaceX

"Boeing's per-seat price already seemed like it would cost more than SpaceX. The company has received a total of $4.82 billion from NASA over the lifetime of the commercial crew program, compared to $3.14 billion for SpaceX. However, for the first time the government has published a per-seat price: $90 million for Starliner and $55 million for Dragon. Each capsule is expected to carry four astronauts to the space station during a nominal mission.

What is notable about Boeing's price is that it is also higher than what NASA has paid the Russian space corporation, Roscosmos, for Soyuz spacecraft seats to fly US and partner-nation astronauts to the space station. Overall, NASA paid Russia an average cost per seat of $55.4 million for the 70 completed and planned missions from 2006 through 2020. Since 2017, NASA has paid an average of $79.7 million.

Beyond these seat prices, Inspector General Paul Martin's report also notes that Boeing received additional funding from NASA, above and beyond its fixed-price award.

“Not consistent”

"We found that NASA agreed to pay an additional $287.2 million above Boeing’s fixed prices to mitigate a perceived 18-month gap in ISS flights anticipated in 2019 and to ensure the contractor continued as a second commercial crew provider, without offering similar opportunities to SpaceX," the report states."



As of August 2021, Starliner has yet to successfully make its first unmanned flight to the ISS and its first flight was considered too out of control to allow it near the ISS if it had gotten that far. Much smaller upstart competitor SpaceX successfully made an unmanned and two crewed flights to the ISS and has not gone back to NASA asking for more money to to the job it contracted to do. Much lower price SpaceX has several more manned flights scheduled along with their regular cargo flights to the ISS. Who knows when Starliner will be proven in flight so Boeing can start charging $90 million a seat?

With today's trip back to the factory for warranty work, what crew would be anxious to ride to the ISS on Starliner?
 
For the record: in 1996 before MDD Boeing also swallowed Rockwell Aerospace, formerly North American (1967). This company had build Apollo CM and SM so in a sense Starliner had clear Apollo CSM legacy.
Well the heritage obviously has been lost to time. Harrison Stormy Storm must spin in his grave in anger... also proof that a modern day Apollo isn't that easy to build; space is hard, Boeing is dysfunctional there.

What sounded obvious to Boeing, NASA or even the layman in the street... (build a modern day " heir of Apollo capsule" ) hasn't been obvious in the end.

Boeing seemingly had a decent, cautious design on hand ; lots of good arguments going for it; and so far has wasted a lot of them and credibility.
 
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Now while Boeing has to figure out how moister enter NTO feed line and corrode a Valve, after it rain...

comes now a hell of a problem: schedules!
the Atlas V for Starliner muss be removed from only launch pad they have at Cape.
because the Pad is needed by NASA and Space Force for Series of Atlas V launches in coming months
ULA has no replace date for Starliner launch yet !

another issue is schedule of docking at ISS, the docking port for Starliner second test flight
will be used by SpaceX cargo Dragon and next crew dragon flight, follow of Soyuz and progress and new part for ISS docking.
seems the russian got some issue with "test flight" Starliner during there operation at ISS

under current state the second launch of Starliner could even happen in 2022
 
I’ve seen some say that the rot set in before the merger with MDD.
 
Nearly six weeks have passed since Boeing said it would de-stack its Starliner spacecraft from an Atlas V rocket and return the vehicle to its factory for "deeper-level" troubleshooting of problematic valves.

On Tuesday, NASA's chief of human spaceflight operations, Kathy Lueders, said teams of engineers and technicians from Boeing and NASA are continuing to assess the issue with sticky valves. "I think the team's making great progress on further troubleshooting," she said.
 
We are kind of lucky SpaceX didn't go bankrupt - by a hairbreadth - in 2008...

Boeing should really look four inspiration ASAP (excuse the lame joke... I'll run for cover, once again).
 
This is sign of confidence by NASA on Starliner

The Crew for Starliner first Manned flight, Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada
are transfer to Crew Dragon flight 5 as prime crew
While the three veteran astronauts on Starliner remain attached to the project only as consultant !
Means no crew for Starliner...

 
Paddington Bear tells me they have one you could borrow down South Kensington way...
 
To compare
NASA invested so far since 2014
$4.2 billion in Starliner (+282M for "additional flexibilities" +$374M for Boeing owned Soyuz seats).
$2.6 billion into Crew Dragon and it cargo version
and what we get ?
Crew Dragon Two unmanned test flight and four manned Flight and three cargo Mission
Starliner one unmanned test flight...

FBM1KbdXEBw5BRM
 
Probably that they have misspelled its name: not Starliner, but more (when) Stars align.
 
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Has Boeing discovered how moisture got into the Starliner's SM NTO plumbing?
 
A new service module was mated to a Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew module to form a complete spacecraft on March 12, 2022, in Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Starliner will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for Boeing’s second uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
 

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