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Boeing Starliner capsule astronauts from NASA set to return home in nine months

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NASA Astronaut Suni Williams and Butch Willmore have finally returned home.

The astronauts, who had initially planned to visit the International Space Station for just a week, ended up staying for over nine months and are now scheduled to leave on Tuesday.

Their journey back to Earth marks the end of a unique chapter in spaceflight history. Williams and Wilmore gained recognition when they embarked on the first crew test flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June. However, issues with the vehicle’s thruster during docking with the space station led to NASA returning the Starliner to Earth without anyone on board.

As a result, Williams and Wilmore had to extend their stay, but they are now set to depart on Tuesday at 1:05am aboard the SpaceX Dragon Capsule. The astronauts are expected to splash down off the Florida coast at 5:57pm ET.

Joining them on the return flight are NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

The timing of their return on Tuesday was determined based on optimal conditions expected for the evening of March 18th, as stated in a NASA statement.

The four-person crew arrived at the space station in September aboard a SpaceX vehicle, carrying Hague, Gorbunov, and two empty seats for their colleagues. Williams and Wilmore stayed behind to allow Hague and Gorbunov to complete their mission.

Despite the challenges they faced, Williams and Wilmore have embraced their extended stay in space and have enjoyed their time orbiting the Earth.

In a recent news briefing, Williams and Wilmore chose to focus on their mission rather than engage in politics. Williams expressed her disagreement with Elon Musk’s suggestion that the US should halt operations on the International Space Station earlier than planned.

“I think we’re thriving right now,” she said. “It’s not the right time to abandon it.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Boeing executives stay mum following Starliner spacecraft’s return

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summary

  • Boeing executives have made few public comments about the company’s Starliner spacecraft in the past six weeks.
  • The capsule returned to Earth without any crew on Saturday, ending a trouble-plagued test flight.
  • Boeing representatives did not attend a scheduled post-landing briefing.

Just over an hour after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft returned empty to Earth, NASA held its regular post-landing briefing to discuss the conclusion of the eventful test flight.

Conspicuous by the absence of any Boeing representatives at the event early Saturday morning.

In fact, the last time Boeing representatives attended a press conference about the Starliner program was in late July, when the capsule was experiencing hardware issues that caused it to stay a few weeks longer than planned at the International Space Station, and questions were swirling about whether the two NASA astronauts who had been sent into orbit aboard the Boeing-built spacecraft would be able to return home safely.

NASA officials say they are working closely with Boeing, but the company’s absence from the event and limited public statements have raised questions about its commitment to transparency and the future of the Starliner program.

Boeing did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the change in the company’s name recognition.

Ahead of a post-landing news conference held last week at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA’s public advisory included the names of two Boeing executives who will be participating.

Eric Berger, a senior editor at Ars Technica, was there. Written About X Shortly before the press conference began, two chairs were removed from the podium, in what appeared to be a last-minute change in configuration.

Joel Montalbano, NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate, Asked about Boeing’s absence During the briefing

“We spoke to Boeing prior to this, and they gave NASA the concession to represent them on this mission,” he said.

A few days later, in response to a question from NBC News, a NASA spokesperson referred Montalbano to his response at the press conference.

Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager for Boeing’s commercial crew programs, instead attended the briefing. A statement on the company’s website.

“I commend the Starliner team for their hard work in ensuring a successful and safe undocking, deorbit, re-entry, and landing,” he wrote. “We will review the data and determine next steps for the program.”

Boeing said the capsule would be transported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where engineers would analyze the flight data. No other details about the spacecraft’s status were released.

Starliner launched astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station in early June. The capsule’s first manned test flight was scheduled to last about eight days. However, a helium leak from the spacecraft’s propulsion system and a thruster failure while docking with the space station kept Starliner and its crew in space for months.

NASA held several media briefings over the summer to provide updates on the ongoing investigation into the thruster issue and how its findings might affect the remainder of the flight. Initially, NASA and Boeing officials attended the briefings jointly, but no Boeing representatives were present at the August press conference.

That month, NASA was considering how and when to return Wilmore and Williams safely. Asked why Boeing was absent from most of the briefings in August, NASA officials said the updates were for NASA consideration and therefore no company representatives were included.

On August 24, NASA announced it would ask SpaceX to return the astronauts and fly Boeing’s Starliner back to Earth without a crew member. The pair will stay on the space station until February, after which they will return with the next ISS crew.

in X Statement In response to NASA’s decision, Boeing wrote: “Our focus remains first and foremost on the safety of our crew and spacecraft. We are conducting the mission in accordance with NASA’s decision and are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return.”

The Starliner spacecraft ultimately returned safely to Earth, landing at White Sands Spaceport in New Mexico just after midnight on Saturday.

The manned test flight was intended to demonstrate that Boeing could reliably transport astronauts to the space station and pave the way for NASA to approve regular flights to the orbital laboratory.

Boeing developed the Starliner spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, an effort launched in 2011 to support privately built spacecraft to fill the gap left by NASA’s retired space shuttle fleet.

Even before its latest flight, the Starliner program was more than $1.5 billion over budget and years behind schedule: In 2019, an uncrewed test flight to the space station was canceled due to technical issues, forcing the company to wait until 2022 to try again.

Rival company SpaceX is developing its Crew Dragon spacecraft as part of the same program, with regular flights to the space station beginning in 2020. NASA has said it wants two private companies to certify such flights so it has redundant options for reaching low Earth orbit.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Boeing Starliner spacecraft embarks on return voyage without crew members

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Wilmore and Williams were present to assist with the detachment of Starliner from the space station.

“We’re cheering for you. You’re going to be fine,” Williams communicated to mission controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston before the capsule separated. “Bring us back to Earth. Best of luck.”

Starliner’s journey back will mark the end of a turbulent few months for Boeing and NASA, whose test flights were meant to show that the spacecraft could reliably transport astronauts to low Earth orbit and pave the way for NASA to approve Boeing for regular flights to the space station.

However, the issues with the thrusters are the latest setback for Boeing’s Starliner program, which is already more than $1.5 billion over budget and years behind schedule even before its first launch. An initial uncrewed test flight that NASA required before Boeing’s spacecraft could carry astronauts also failed, leading the company to try again in 2022.

NASA officials stated earlier this week that they are collaborating with Boeing to enhance Starliner’s thrusters, and further analysis will be conducted once the spacecraft returns and engineers evaluate its performance.

To prepare for a potential thruster malfunction as Starliner embarks on its return journey, flight controllers adjusted the capsule’s usual undocking process: After separating from the space station, Starliner would automatically move away from the station in case of any issues.

Preliminary data showed that the thrusters successfully completed all 12 scheduled burns during the retreat, according to NASA.

Several hours later, at 11:17 pm EST, Starliner’s engines will execute a 59-second “de-orbit burn,” decelerating the spacecraft and initiating its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. As it nears the landing location in New Mexico, parachutes will be deployed to slow the capsule, with airbags beneath the spacecraft deployed to cushion the landing.

For Boeing, a successful return of the Starliner spacecraft will be mixed feelings: If all goes well, it could demonstrate that NASA astronauts could safely ride back on the spacecraft, although NASA’s senior leadership unanimously opted for SpaceX to handle the return flight to reduce the risk of further setbacks.

Boeing designed the Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which began in 2011 to support private spacecraft in place of NASA’s retired space shuttle fleet. Competitor SpaceX is developing its Crew Dragon spacecraft under the same program, which has been conducting regular round-trip missions to the space station since 2020.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will return to Earth without astronauts on Friday

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NASA announced on Wednesday that the troubled Boeing spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station on Friday and attempt to return to Earth without any astronauts on board. The uncrewed liftoff of the Starliner spacecraft is set to take place, assuming the weather is clear at the landing site in New Mexico. The return journey is expected to last about six hours, with the spacecraft scheduled to land at White Sands Spaceport early Saturday morning.

This return flight marks the final phase of a challenging test flight that did not go as planned. The mission was supposed to demonstrate Boeing’s capability to safely transport astronauts to the space station, leading to NASA certification. However, after encountering issues with thrusters and a helium leak from its propulsion system, the mission had to be aborted, leaving astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded on the space station for an extended period of time.

During a press conference, Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, expressed excitement about Starliner’s return and the lessons learned from this test flight. The spacecraft is set to undock from the space station on Friday evening and land in New Mexico early Saturday morning.

The undocking process will be different without astronauts on board, with precautions taken to protect the space station in case of any malfunctions. After departing from the space station, Starliner will perform a deorbit burn before landing in New Mexico with the help of parachutes and airbags.

A successful return would be significant for Boeing, potentially signaling the safe return of NASA astronauts aboard the spacecraft. However, NASA has requested SpaceX to handle the return flight to minimize risks.

The certification process for Starliner remains uncertain, with NASA and Boeing working together to address issues and improve the spacecraft’s thrusters.

Boeing, along with SpaceX, was awarded a contract under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to develop spacecraft for transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft has been successfully ferrying NASA astronauts to the space station since 2020.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

NASA’s wise decision to implement a backup plan proved crucial in wake of the Starliner grounding

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Whenever a rocket launch or mission goes wrong, experts always say the same thing: “Space is hard.” As advances in the space industry accelerate, this mantra has only grown more important, if not less, as we face—and, for the most part, overcome—the challenges of spaceflight with increasing frequency.

The situation that has unfolded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) over the past few months is a case in point: Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully completed its first manned flight on June 5, but a hardware problem meant that after arriving at the ISS it was unclear whether the two NASA astronauts on board would be able to safely return to Earth as scheduled.

So after ground tests and much deliberation, NASA reversed course, announcing that its astronauts would stay longer and return instead in February 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft (see “Astronauts stranded on ISS reveal U.S. space program not in peril.”) A potentially catastrophic problem was reduced to a mere inconvenience thanks to NASA’s wise decision a decade ago to hire not one but two companies to build the capsules that would carry astronauts into space. We’d always known space was a tough place, and preparation paid off.

The first ever private spacewalk will likely be the most dangerous one ever.

Hopefully, the thorough preparations will also pay off for the crew of SpaceX’s upcoming Polaris Dawn mission, which, if all goes well, will conduct the first-ever civilian spacewalk, and perhaps the most dangerous one ever (see page 8).

If the flight goes well, it will be another big win for commercial spaceflight, and especially for SpaceX, as it will be the first test of the company’s new spacesuit. Aging spacesuits have been a big problem for NASA and other space agencies for decades. The spacesuits NASA uses are the same ones astronauts wore in the 1980s and are long past their prime. A new spacesuit that is comfortable for civilians to wear, has better mobility, better temperature regulation and is more reliable would be a big win. It would make life in space a little easier.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

What is the unusual sound emanating from Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft?

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Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft carried astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the International Space Station.

NASA/Johnson Space Center

update: A statement was sent to SpaceNews’ Jeff Faust.NASA said the sound had stopped and explained why: “The feedback from the speakers was the result of an audio configuration between the space station and Starliner,” NASA said. “The space station’s audio system is complex, with multiple interconnected spacecraft and modules, and it is common for noise and feedback to occur.” They added that the feedback had no technical impact to the crew or spacecraft operations.

The ill-fated mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has run into trouble once again. The two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who only recently learned they would be staying on the ISS until at least February, began hearing strange noises coming from the Boeing spacecraft over the weekend.

“We’re hearing some strange noises coming from the speakers,” Wilmore told Mission Control in Houston, Texas, on August 31. Recorded by an enthusiast“We don’t know what caused it.”

Mission Control told Wilmore they would investigate the regular pulsating noise. New ScientistBoeing referred requests for comment to NASA, which did not immediately respond.

The Starliner spacecraft delivered Wilmore and Williams to the ISS on June 5, but a thruster failure and helium leak made the planned return trip with passengers deemed too risky.

The noise has puzzled space industry experts and mission control. “It’s very strange,” one person said. Martin Barstow Professor at the University of Leicester in the UK. “I’ve never been on a spacecraft, so I have no idea.”

Social media posts have speculated about the possibility of sonar interference, but say such interference couldn’t come from outside the capsule because sound waves cannot travel in space. Jonathan Aitken “I don’t think it’s a big deal,” said the researcher at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “The bigger question for me is whether it’s a single speaker that’s making the noise, or the whole communications system.”

To investigate the source of the noise, Barstow recommends a thorough inspection of the aircraft. “Find out where there are microphones that might be providing input and isolate them,” he says. “But the sound could also be coming from the audio system electronics.”

Barstow noted that the regular but occasionally erratic nature of the pulse may support the idea that this is a problem with electronic interference.

This hypothesis is Phil Metzger “Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is very common and difficult to eliminate,” said John F. Kennedy, a professor at the University of Central Florida who helped test the ISS intercom system as co-founder of NASA’s Swamp Works research facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He wrote to X.

Metzger said: New ScientistIn response to an interview request from SpaceX, astronaut John McClellan explained on social media that the interference could be coming from outside the Starliner: “During one test, we heard a noise that we tracked down to its source and found to be coming from a power inverter that is part of the test facility and not the spacecraft,” he wrote. “We believe that the noise on Starliner was due to electromagnetic interference leaking into something like an audio cable with a loose braid at the connector interface.”

What to do about it is another matter: Wilmore’s radio communications with Mission Control suggest that neither he nor Williams were overly concerned about the noise, but were confused as to its source.

There’s no rush to find out what the problem is, since Starliner is scheduled to return to Earth on its own on September 6. “I don’t think it’s significant since there won’t be a crew on board, but anything unusual should always be investigated,” Barstow said. “It might shed some light on an underlying problem.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Astronauts stranded on ISS after Starliner failure: US space program not in jeopardy

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Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is not scheduled to return astronauts from space this year

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

It’s official: Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will remain aboard the International Space Station until at least February. While it’s a major setback for Boeing’s Starliner, the plane that carried them there, it doesn’t spell doom for the U.S. space program. Rather, it highlights the success of the transition from the government providing the sole rocket to space to a proliferation of commercial spaceflight options.

This is exactly the contingency that NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which transports astronauts to the ISS using spacecraft built by private companies, was designed to handle. “The Commercial Crew Program deliberately selected two providers for redundancy in preparation for exactly this situation,” he said. Laura Forzigan independent space industry consultant. The two NASA astronauts were originally scheduled to arrive at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5 and return to Earth about a week later. However, issues with the spacecraft resulted in them staying for an extended mission before returning home aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft instead of the Starliner.

“If they had only picked one provider, it would have been Boeing because SpaceX was a riskier proposition at the time,” Forczyk said, “so in some sense, this is a win for the Commercial Crew program.”

The mission was Starliner’s first manned test flight, and it was rocky from the start: valve leaks and thruster failures on the journey into space forced NASA and Boeing to reconsider whether the spacecraft could safely return astronauts to Earth. Tests of the thrusters on the ground were inconclusive, and there was still a risk of the thrusters failing during the return journey.

The safest alternative would be for astronauts to remain on the ISS until SpaceX’s proven Crew Dragon spacecraft has room to return, which could happen in early 2025. In the meantime, Starliner will autonomously detach from the ISS in September and return to Earth without a crew member while Boeing engineers continue to troubleshoot.

“This was a test mission, but sometimes testing gives you answers that tell you there are things that need to be fixed,” said former NASA astronaut Michael Fossum. statement“Testing doesn’t necessarily prove that everything worked perfectly.”

At a press conference on August 24, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Though Boeing has been adamant that Starliner will get another chance to carry crew to the ISS, some aren’t so convinced. Boeing’s contract requires that the vehicle isn’t certified for use in real missions until it completes a successful test flight, which it didn’t this time. If NASA requires Starliner to undergo another test flight, Forchik says, the first operational flight could be delayed until 2026 at the earliest. With the ISS scheduled to close around 2030, keeping Starliner ready for active duty may not be worth it.

Without redundancy in the commercial crew program, the failure of Starliner could have left the U.S. without a launch provider entirely. As it stands, SpaceX will continue to shuttle astronauts to and from the ISS. Although Wilmore and Williams will need to stay aboard the ISS for a little longer, they are veteran astronauts with the experience and equipment to quickly jump into daily life in space before returning safely to Earth.

For Wilmore and Williams, the challenges and inconveniences of a long-term stay may not outweigh the excitement of life in orbit. “I know them really well, and I think in some ways they were a little disappointed to be up there in such a short amount of time,” Fossum said. “They both have been on long-term missions aboard the space station before… and they both enjoyed it.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

NASA weighs options: Boeing and SpaceX in contention to bring Starliner astronauts back

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This week, NASA leaders are engaged in deep discussions regarding the return of the agency’s astronauts to their spacecraft. Boeing They are considering either salvaging the unexploded Starliner spacecraft or using a SpaceX spacecraft for the crew’s rescue.

Concerns about Starliner have arisen due to NASA’s inability to determine the root cause of the spacecraft’s failure, which led to thruster failure during docking, according to a source familiar with the matter as told to CNBC.

NASA is contemplating the possibility of returning Starliner empty and utilizing SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft to bring back the astronauts. The decision-makers are currently divided, and the outcome of NASA’s ongoing discussions remains uncertain, given the complexities involved.

Starliner’s Calypso capsule has been in space for over 59 days and counting, with the mission aimed at proving Boeing’s spacecraft safe for long-duration crewed missions to and from the ISS.

Originally scheduled for at least nine days, Boeing’s crewed flight has been extended multiple times for tests to resolve thruster issues, raising concerns about the spacecraft’s safety for astronaut return.

While Boeing expresses confidence in Starliner’s ability to safely return with astronauts, NASA and Boeing executives have differing perspectives on the matter, with NASA considering alternate options like using SpaceX as a backup.

Ars Technical reported mixed reactions from NASA regarding the Starliner situation, with ongoing discussions on whether to rely on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon instead.

Should Starliner return empty, the likely alternative would involve removing astronauts from an upcoming Crew 9 mission to make way for the return of Wilmore and Williams.

Despite ongoing discussions, NASA has yet to make a decision on Starliner’s return, maintaining a focus on exploring all available options.

Trust the thrust

Following a recent test, NASA noted the good condition of Starliner’s thrusters, despite concerns about the root cause of past failures and the potential for additional issues during the return flight.

Boeing continues to investigate the thruster issues and plans to conclusively identify the root cause before proceeding with the return of the spacecraft.

NASA must weigh the risks associated with Starliner’s thruster problems before making a decision on the spacecraft’s return.

Unpredictable results

The lack of consensus within NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Management Board underscores the uncertainty surrounding Starliner’s return, with discussions ongoing to assess the risks involved.

Any disagreements within the board will be escalated until a resolution is reached, indicating the complexity of the decision-making process.

Make a Choice

NASA faces a critical decision regarding the safe return of astronauts aboard Starliner, with implications for Boeing’s participation in the Commercial Crew program.

The choice between backing Boeing or opting for SpaceX’s alternative could have significant consequences for the future of the program and the companies involved.

Ultimately, NASA must carefully consider the risks and implications of their decision to ensure the safety of the astronauts and the success of future missions.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully docks with space station despite thruster issue

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Two NASA astronauts aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft successfully docked at the International Space Station on Thursday, despite issues with the spacecraft's thrusters.

NASA confirmed that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams docked with the space station at 1:34 p.m. ET.

“It's good to be connected to the great city of the sky,” Wilmore told mission controllers on the ground.

The docking attempt, originally scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET, was postponed due to problems with five thrusters on the Starliner.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked with the International Space Station at 1:34 p.m. ET on June 6.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The hatch between the Starliner capsule and the space station was opened about two hours after docking.

Astronaut Williams was the first to enter the space station, greeted by the ISS crew members already on board.

Wilmore and Williams expressed their gratitude to the teams that worked to get them to the ISS and said they were ready to begin work in orbit.

Their arrival brings the International Space Station to full capacity.

Wilmore and Williams are expected to spend about a week on the ISS before potentially returning to Earth on June 14.

Flight controllers will continue to monitor the capsule's reaction control thrusters for further adjustments.

The Starliner capsule is capable of autonomous docking with the space station.

The Boeing Starliner spacecraft prepares to dock with the International Space Station.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is more than 24 hours away from its first crewed test flight to the space station.

The test flight aims to demonstrate the capsule's ability to safely transport NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Boeing’s Starliner Successfully Launches Crew to International Space Station

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Starliner launched on June 5th from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Joe Raedl/Getty Images

Boeing has successfully launched its Starliner spacecraft with a crew for the first time on its third attempt, a landmark launch that gives NASA two commercial options for sending astronauts into space: Boeing and SpaceX.

Starliner was launched on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. June 5th, 10:52 AM (local time) After several years of delays, the manned launch has finally come to fruition. Initially, the manned launch was expected to take place by the end of 2017, but the plans fell behind schedule. The mission was finally scheduled to launch in May, but a valve failure forced NASA to abort the mission. The second launch on June 1 was scheduled for Discarded Due to computer problems.

But the third launch just a few days later was successful, with the capsule reaching orbit as planned. Carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, they made the 24-hour journey to the International Space Station, where they will stay for about a week to test various systems before returning to Earth aboard the same spacecraft.

The capsule was named Calypso. Reportedly Named after Jacques Cousteau's oceanographic ship, the mission's goal is to verify that Starliner is safe to transport crew to the ISS. If these tests are successful and the two astronauts return safely to Earth aboard Starliner, similar ships could begin annual crewed flights to the space station.

Each Starliner is designed to last up to 10 round trips, carrying up to seven people per flight, though a standard operational flight will likely only carry three or four astronauts.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Two contracts won Ten years ago, there were bids for a shuttle ship to transport crew to the International Space Station. One bid was for Boeing's Starliner, the other was SpaceX's Dragon capsule. Dragon outdid Starliner with its first crewed flight in 2020.

Starliner will be the sixth manned orbital spacecraft launched by the United States, following Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle and Dragon.

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Source: www.newscientist.com