Listen live: NASA providing update about troubled Boeing Starliner astronaut mission today

[Admin]

NASA will provide an update about the ongoing astronaut mission of Boeing's Starliner capsule today (Aug. 14), and you can listen live.

Listen live: NASA providing update about troubled Boeing Starliner astronaut mission today : Read more

 

[jlf180]

Where is Steve Stich? Why isn't he part of the panel?

 

[24launch]

I know, right? Last week they dropped Mark Nappi (Boeing) and now this week they've excluded both Nappi and Stitch. The last holdout from all the previous public updates is just Bowersox!

Should be an interesting discussion though it's already been rumored that they may still put the final decision off yet another week.

 

[Viking]

What would happen if Suni and Butch refused to use the Starliner?

 

[24launch]

And...they're just going to kick the can down the street another week or two before they announce a decision... At least they're having regular press conferences. It helps keep the public and the media from assuming the worst.

 

[motie]

Where is Steve Stich? Why isn't he part of the panel?

Probably at the doc getting his ulcer treated.

 

[DrRaviSharma]

Seriously - I grew up working on Apollo where money was not a major factor! Alas facilities of those times are planned today!

If this was a period of plenty, and if we had the luxury of having a couple of Starliners similarly ready for launch, it would be an easy decision!

Bring the Test Starliner back uncrewed and study its performance and correct the anomaly of thrusters on the ground hardware. Test thrusters configurations in alternate uncrewed satellites and confirm that Problem is solved.

Then send the backup Test Starliner to bring back Suni and Butch.
This would enable an alternative US capability to SpaceX and can be done in about same time as Falcon return in Feb 2025 or so.
This would make use of 6+B invested in Boeing.
Let us not forget, over the years for Aerospace sector Boeing has Loads of useful information base, only they need to select correct people in their team who have the commitment beyond usual corporate goals related to bottom line!

These types of Logically then available Options (5 of them) were suggested by me to NASA on the day of Columbia Loss Feb 3 year 2003 and NASA accepted 3 of them for remaining 10 years of Shuttle flights. I had similar roles to play during Apollo 13 and corrections were made that I and my MSFEB team suggested for A14-A17 missions!

Best wishes to Suni and Butch and also for NASA investments in these crucial and needed technologies in support of Human Space Flight.

Ravi

 

[ChrisA]

Seriously - I grew up working on Apollo where money was not a major factor! Alas facilities of those times are planned today!

If this was a period of plenty, and if we had the luxury of having a couple of Starliners similarly ready for launch, it would be an easy decision!

Bring the Test Starliner back uncrewed and study its performance and correct the anomaly of thrusters on the ground hardware. Test thrusters configurations in alternate uncrewed satellites and confirm that Problem is solved.

Then send the backup Test Starliner to bring back Suni and Butch.
This would enable an alternative US capability to SpaceX and can be done in about same time as Falcon return in Feb 2025 or so.
This would make use of 6+B invested in Boeing.
Let us not forget, over the years for Aerospace sector Boeing has Loads of useful information base, only they need to select correct people in their team who have the commitment beyond usual corporate goals related to bottom line!

These types of Logically then available Options (5 of them) were suggested by me to NASA on the day of Columbia Loss Feb 3 year 2003 and NASA accepted 3 of them for remaining 10 years of Shuttle flights. I had similar roles to play during Apollo 13 and corrections were made that I and my MSFEB team suggested for A14-A17 missions!

Best wishes to Suni and Butch and also for NASA investments in these crucial and needed technologies in support of Human Space Flight.

Ravi

No. That plan would never have worked. You can not return the test Starliner back to Earth before sending a return vehicle up first. The best plan really was to try and test the current vehicle while it is in space. If that fails then you send a new one up, test it and only then have the crew use it to return to Earth. The trouble is they are out of docking ports.

 

[DrRaviSharma]

No. That plan would never have worked. You can not return the test Starliner back to Earth before sending a return vehicle up first. The best plan really was to try and test the current vehicle while it is in space. If that fails then you send a new one up, test it and only then have the crew use it to return to Earth. The trouble is they are out of docking ports.

I said the same thing perhaps it is less clear "Bring the Test Starliner back uncrewed and study its performance and correct the anomaly of thrusters on the ground hardware. Test thrusters configurations in alternate uncrewed satellites and confirm that Problem is solved."
They have already tested docked in space all along for several weeks now already.

 

[Rob77]

A little left field, curious to see if there are compatibility issues with the flight suits that are used for Starliner and Dragon? If they come back in a Dragon. will they need to don a Dragon specific flight suit?

 

[ChrisA]

A little left field, curious to see if there are compatibility issues with the flight suits that are used for Starliner and Dragon? If they come back in a Dragon. will they need to don a Dragon specific flight suit?

There is no compatibility. the plan would be to send two astronauts and two extra space suits. The two in space have known measurements so suits would be made for them and sent up.