NASA Is Exploring All Possible Options For The Safe Return Of Starliner Crew
21st Mar 2024
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft has a long and complicated pre-launch history. But after the spacecraft’s launch on 5 June, NASA and Boeing continued to report on various issues with it.
Initially scheduled to return to Earth in 10 days after docking the International Space Station, the Starliner crew is stuck in space with to return day so far.
We’ve gathered all we know about Starliner flight, and we’ll update the article with new details.
NASA’s “Plan B” To Save The Starliner Crew
Update – 7th of August
Last week, NASA management debated whether to bring the agency’s astronauts back using Boeing’s malfunctioning Starliner capsule or to return the spacecraft empty.
According to Arstechnica, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is a likely alternative for returning the crew from the ISS. This would involve removing two astronauts from the upcoming Crew-9 mission, which is scheduled to launch with four people in the coming weeks, thus freeing up two seats for Wilmore and Williams.
Meanwhile, Boeing is still confident that the Starliner can safely bring the astronauts back, and no decision has been made yet.
“We remain confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew. We are supporting NASA’s requests for additional data, analysis and data reviews to affirm the spacecraft’s safe undocking and landing capabilities,” a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC.
Boeing Says Starliner Hot Fire Test on ISS Went Well
Update – 1st of August
Boeing engineers, together with NASA specialists, have successfully completed tests of the jet engine control system of the Starliner spacecraft, which is still docked to the ISS.
Simultaneously with these tests, the Starliner crew, astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, checked the ship’s water supply system and internal pressure after the engines fired.
NASA will soon announce the date of the Starliner’s return to Earth.
Update 2 – 1st of August
As Indian Express stated, the crew member Sunita Williams is dealing with serious health problems from spending a lot of time in space. One big issue is that her bones are losing strength quickly because they aren’t working against gravity, which is similar to what happens with osteoporosis.
NASA has employed a range of strategies to tackle bone loss in astronauts. But even with strict exercise routines meant to prevent it, bone loss is still a likely outcome of long space missions. In microgravity, bones no longer support weight, leading to a reduction in their density.
Update – 20th Of June
NASA has announced a delay in Boeing’s Starliner capsule returning to Earth, citing ongoing thruster issues. Originally intended for a week-long stay, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are now extending their mission duration indefinitely.
The extra time will allow NASA and Boeing to address thruster concerns that initially impacted Starliner’s ISS docking attempt on 6 June.
Despite the extensive testing, officials have to address the issue of helium leaks. There have been five leaks in total – one before launch, three during the flight, and one after docking. However, there is still sufficient helium on board, so the mission remains on track.
What happened to Starliner?
NASA initially planned for Starliner to undock on 14th June, but on 9th June, they announced a delay to no earlier than 18th June. This postponement was to avoid a conflict with a 13th June ISS spacewalk, or EVA, by NASA astronauts Tracy Dyson and Matt Dominick.
On 10th June, it was first mentioned that there were five leaks in the spacecraft. However, engineers estimate that the spacecraft has sufficient helium to support 70 hours of flight operations, whereas only seven hours are required for the Starliner to return to Earth.
On 11 June, NASA announced that Boeing’s Starliner had experienced a fifth, however minor, helium leak in its propulsion system.
Starliner launched on 5 June
Starliner successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the third attempt at launching the first crewed flight test. The solid boosters have separated and the Centaur engine successfully ignited.
Boeing’s Starliner, carrying astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams successfully entered Earth orbit after a 1450 GMT launch and flight toward the UK.
This marked the first time this flight path has been used for a crewed flight, and it provided the maximum possibilities for an emergency capsule separation before reaching orbit.
If the mission is successful through to return, it will mark the acceptance of Starliner as a system for delivering and retrieving ISS crews. As an addition to working with SpaceX and Roscosmos, it gives NASA greater flexibility in crewed spaceflight.
Mike Fincke, the back-up pilot for this Starliner launch, stated during the livestream before the launch attempt on 5th June, that the Starliner launch and certification is important for having options in case the SpaceX Dragon system or Russia’s Soyuz become unavailable. Fincke pointed to the fact that relations between the U.S. and Russia are contentious, despite good relations currently on the ISS.
Jim Free, NASA Associate Administrator, also stated that we need to ensure access, in order to be able to return astronauts even if there are issues with the other providers.
Starliners Successfully Docked to the ISS
On 6 June, Starliner had soft-docked with the ISS.
The mission continued despite the discovery of three helium leaks before the astronauts went to sleep. One of the leaks is in a place that had leaked previously, but the other two are new. To stop the outflow for the time being, two valves were closed. No announcements have been made about a timetable for examining the problem.
The craft was placed on an extended hold 200m away from the docking ‘box’ due to sub-par performance of Reaction Control System Thruster units during a pre-docking test. Reaction Control System Thruster units were reviewed. Pilot Butch Wilmore had to pilot the craft manually for a length of time while the test data was being checked. However, the craft was on autopilot during the approach and docking. With the soft docking complete, the hard-docking process begins, and the astronauts will be able to enter the ISS.
Multiple delays ahead of the launch
Before launching on 5 June, Starliner experienced various issues and delays. Here’s a brief story:
16 April – Starliner CST-100 Is Stacked on the Atlas V Rocket
Boeing reported that the CST-100 Starliner is ready for its mission, having been transported to the launch site early on 16 April. It travelled from Boeing’s facility to the ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral, where it was mounted atop an Atlas V rocket. Final system checks were planned to ensure communication between the Atlas V and Starliner is flawless ahead of the launch.
29 April – NASA Priority
On April 29, Mark Nappi, the spacecraft’s program manager, emphasized that Boeing’s primary goal was to conduct the first Starliner mission for NASA with astronauts on board. Following this Crew Flight Test (CFT), Boeing planned to prepare additional spacecraft for future NASA astronaut flights, expected to run from six to seven missions, prioritizing NASA until at least 2030.
“We’ve got plenty of time to think about what’s after that,” Nappi summed up.
If CFT’s flight goes as planned, the earliest possible timeframe for the first operational mission (Starliner-1), lasting six months, would be early 2025. That crew includes NASA’s Mike Fincke, NASA’s Scott Tingle, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Joshua Kutryk.
2 May – SpaceX Cooperation
On 2 May, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, docked at the International Space Station (ISS), was scheduled to move to a different port to make room for the Starliner spacecraft. This relocation was necessary to provide Starliner access to the Harmony module’s forward docking station, currently occupied by the Dragon capsule. The maneuver was set to start at 7:45 a.m. EDT, with a live stream beginning at 7:30 a.m. EDT.
May 6 – First Delay
The initial launch attempt on 6 May was cancelled due to a valve problem on the Atlas V rocket. ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained that vibrations caused by the valve, oscillating at 40 hertz, could have impacted its rated life of 200,000 cycles. Engineers needed to assess if these vibrations constituted full cycles, which might require the valve’s replacement.
7 May – Postponed Launch
Early on 7 May, the launch was rescheduled for no earlier than 10 May. This postponement followed the initial cancellation due to the valve issue. NASA stated that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, part of the CFT mission, would remain in pre-flight quarantine at the Kennedy Space Center until the next launch attempt.
On 9 May, NASA announced a new target launch date of 17 May. However, additional technical issues emerged, leading to another delay.
13 May – Further Delays
NASA decided to bring the rocket back to its Vertical Integration Facility hangar to replace a liquid oxygen pressure regulation valve that had shown problematic oscillations. This issue caused another postponement, allowing for thorough evaluations and repairs.
17 May- Rescheduled for late May
On 17 May, Boeing announced that Starliner’s first crewed flight was rescheduled for 21 May. The team had repaired the oxygen valve of the Atlas V rocket, but discovered a small helium leak in the spacecraft’s service module, which needed to be addressed.
21 May – Continuous Delays
NASA announced that the helium leak would require further assessment, pushing the anticipated launch date to June.
NASA, Boeing, and ULA announced new possible launch windows on 1, 2, 5, and 6 June. This decision followed additional evaluations and preparations.
28 May – Proceeding Despite Helium Leak
NASA confirmed the decision to proceed with the launch despite the helium leak in the Starliner’s service module. Experts concluded that the leak posed minimal risk to the mission. The launch date was set for 1 June at 12:25 p.m. ET.
1 June – Automated System Delay
On Saturday, 1st June, Boeing’s first attempt to launch its Starliner spacecraft was cancelled just less than four minutes before liftoff. The reason was an issue with the automated computer system managing the flight sequence. U
ULA chief executive Tory Bruno explained that one of the three computer systems responsible for the launch sequence was slow to activate, halting the countdown. The next possible launch window was scheduled for 5 June at 10:52 a.m. ET, with another backup window on 6 June.
What’s the Boeing Starliner Capsule?
The Boeing Starliner capsule is a next-generation space capsule aimed at facilitating travel to and from low-Earth orbit. Developed in partnership with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this innovative spacecraft is designed to accommodate up to seven passengers or a combination of crew and cargo for missions into Low Earth Orbit. Starliner has an advanced design featuring a weldless structure that enhances durability and enables reusability for up to 10 missions with a turnaround time of six months.
Back & Forth: When Will It Fly?
As of 19 March, Boeing has started fueling up its Starliner capsule ahead of the vehicle’s first-ever astronaut launch. The spacecraft, comprised of a reusable crew module and expendable service module, was recently transferred to the Hazardous Processing Area within Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Over the next two weeks, the propellant loading operation will be carried out by a team of technicians and engineers.
According to the company’s update, once fueling is complete, the spacecraft will undergo final closeout procedures before being transported to United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. These activities involve tasks such as removing propellant access panels, applying environmental covers, conducting thermal protection system checks, and verifying weight and centre of gravity parameters before loading onto the transport vehicle.
The Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission is currently set for liftoff in early May. It will be launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida’s Atlantic coast. This mission will ferry NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the International Space Station (ISS) for an estimated 10-day mission duration.
Previous Starliner Capsule Launches: Fails & Tests
The first attempt to launch Starliner into space occurred on 20th December 2019. Back then, Starliner, as part of the Orbital Flight Test 1 mission, aimed at docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and orbiting Earth for approximately two days without a crew onboard. Riding atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the spacecraft initiated its ascent at 6:36 a.m. EST (1136 GMT) as scheduled.
However, excitement turned to disappointment when, 90 minutes into the mission, then-NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that Starliner would not reach its intended destination. Despite a smooth launch, an error in the capsule’s internal clock caused it to consume excessive fuel, and thus preventing a safe docking with the ISS.
In response, Boeing engineers made a controlled landing in New Mexico, utilising airbags for a soft touchdown – a critical phase of the testing process. A thorough review by a joint NASA-Boeing independent team identified 80 corrective actions to be addressed, encompassing testing protocols, software requirements, operational procedures, and hardware modifications.
After a long period of repairs and numerous delays, including technical challenges (stuck valves in the propulsion system), Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) finally lifted off on 19th May 2022, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and later achieving a successful docking with the ISS as planned.
While OFT-2 carried no astronauts, it transported payloads to the ISS, including supplies and commemorative items such as banners from historically Black colleges and universities, Silver Snoopy pins, and Rosie the Riveter commemorative coins, symbolising the contributions of American women to the aerospace industry during World War II. But, are we going to witness a crewed flight of Starliner?
Future Launch
This mission aims to replicate the milestones accomplished during OFT-2 while introducing the crucial element of a crew on board. NASA has assigned astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams to pilot this pivotal test flight.
However, given the turbulent history of Boeing, including the 737 Max incident and other serious financial mishaps, the company’s reputation stands compromised. So, it’s reasonable to anticipate potential delays stemming from failed audits by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the ongoing Department of Justice criminal investigation into Boeing’s practices. We will diligently provide updates on all developments regarding the Starliner Capsule.
We’ll make sure to keep you posted on all the latest news about the Starliner Capsule.
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