An artist’s portrait of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft in orbit. Credit: Boeing
NASA And Boeing continues to make progress toward the company’s second uncrewed flight test of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft before astronauts fly to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s commercial crew program.
The commercial crew program is currently targeting outstanding hardware readiness, flight software software qualification and launch vehicle and space station priority in early December 2020 without target orbital flight test-2.
During the summer, Boeing’s Starliner team focused on reading the next spacecraft for its upcoming flight tests, as well as improvements identified during various review processes earlier in the year. NASA also announced additional crew assignments with astronauts to the space station for its first operational mission, NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1. Here’s more about the latest developments:
Starliner progress
Boeing’s teams are well involved in the final assembly of the crew and service modules that fly OFF-2 toward the space station inside the company’s commercial crew and cargo processing facility (C3PF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The T-FAT-2 will fly a new, reusable Starliner crew module, which will provide additional on-orbit experience for operational teams before flying missions with astronauts. For Boeing’s commercial crew mission, the Starliner spacecraft will launch on top of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
The CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which will be landed on Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test (OFT), will be seen on November 2, 2019, as preparations for launch begin inside the commercial crew and cargo processing facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Boeing
With the completion of the majority assembly, the latest progress is focused on the re-entry cover of the NASA docking system, which was added to the design for additional protection of the system. The team has also installed Starliner propellant heaters, thermal protection system tiles and air bags that will be used when the spacecraft comes down for landing. As final manufacturing activities continue to progress, the crew module recently introduced acceptance testing, which will prove the systems on the spacecraft before mating with its service module.
In Houston, the Sunc software team is nearing the final stage of a change in flight code and re-verification after the first crowned flight test. As part of that effort, the team recently launched a major milestone called the Formal Qualification Test, a comprehensive testing of flight software and an important step in preparing for the final mission rehearsal test at the last minute.
The Boeing joint also focuses on incorporating the recommendations of the NASA-Boeing independent review team, which has implemented as many as 80 proposed actions. An independent team was formed to review the discrepancies experienced during the TFT, following which Starliner did not reach its planned orbit or did not arrive at the docking station as planned, and will provide recommendations to ensure a robust design for future missions. In addition to its choice to reschedule its arrogant flight test, Boeing chose to implement all the recommendations provided by the review team in detail.
Following the successful TF-201B, Boeing will focus entirely on preparations for its final flight test with astronauts and is completing work on a parallel crew flight test spacecraft. Teams continue to innovate the flying crew module on Starliner’s first Crown Flight Test for reuse with astronauts. After removing and conducting checkouts on various systems and flight hardware, Boeing is preparing to reassemble the vehicle for the flight. Soon, packing will begin with parachutes and airbags before the crew installs the module’s interior. Modifications have been made to the vehicle’s NASA docking system to accommodate the new cover, and the design of subsystem components on the spacecraft’s new service module continues.
Crew updates and destination flight schedule
Prior to the TFT-3 mission, NASA and Boeing’s flight control teams completed an integrated launch-to-king king simulation with additional mission simulations on the horizon in August, as the teams perform fine-tuned flight rules and procedures.
Following the successful TF-2, Boeing and NASA will fly Starliner’s first crew mission, the crew flight test, currently aimed for the period June 2021, with the first-certified mission, called Starliner-1, not scheduled on a temporary basis. Was. Late December 2021.
CFT crew members are Boeing astronauts Chris Ferguson and NASA astronauts Mike Finkak and Nicole Mann.
NASA astronauts Nicole Mann, left, Mike Fink and Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson pose for a photograph on September 11, 2019, as they, along with NASA, Boeing and White Sands missile range teams, rehearsal landing and crew Boeing’s CS – Extraction from 100 Starliner. Credit: Boeing
In addition to training to live and work on the station, the astronauts continue to work closely with Starliner test teams. Some crew members plan to take part in the ongoing acceptance testing of the F-2 crew module inside the C3PF.
Most recently, the CFT crew helped test software updates with actual flight hardware at Boeing’s Avionics and Software Integration Lab in Houston. They practiced doing manual separation events for very low probabilities, software improvements showing that it had no adverse effect on the controls needed to stay safe in any situation. The crew also participated in a procedural dry run for future life support tests with the Starliner spacecraft in Florida. Later this year, the CFT crew will properly rest the vehicle inside the spacecraft in which all the support of their lives will be provided.
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Josh Cassada, and Janet Apps are crew members of the Starliner-1 mission. Both Cassada and Williams were selected for the mission in August August 2018, and NASA announced the delivery of the apps on August 25, 2020.
Astronauts for both CFT and Starliner-1 missions regularly participate in launches and rehearsals of mission operations in normal and emergency situations. They are also continuing mission-specific training for life in orbit, including what they will do after joining their respective campaign crews waiting at the station.
The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station. This could allow additional research time and increase the opportunity for research on the testbed of humanity, to help prepare for the lunar human exploration and Mars.
