After years of delays and multiple trials, Boeing is finally ready to become NASA's second private contractor to fly crew missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Boeing's CFT crew flight test mission is scheduled to take off in May, and representatives from the company and NASA shared details about the flight earlier today.
The upcoming mission will be Boeing's first crewed flight to the International Space Station and will be the last time the spacecraft takes to the skies following the Starliner's Orbital Flight Test (OFT) in 2022.
Mark Nappi, Boeing's "Starliner" project leader, explained today that Boeing is very confident in the spacecraft's parachute system and wiring straps, and these problems were the key to delaying the CFT originally scheduled for last year.
Two critical issues with Starliner that delayed its first crewed orbital test flight by a year involved the parachute system and the protective tape covering the wiring system. Both issues were critical because the parachute system did not meet NASA's redundancy standards and the tape used was flammable.
At today's conference, Boeing's Nappi revealed that the company has tested the new parachute system and implemented the changes not only on the current spacecraft, but also on the next Starliner mission, called Starliner 1. If the CFT is successful and NASA certifies the spacecraft and obtains a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Starliner 1 will mark Boeing's first manned flight to the International Space Station.
According to NASA's Steve Stich, this certification work should be carried out after the "Starliner" returns to space after completing a two-week mission on the International Space Station in May this year.
Nappi explained that since the CFT will be Starliner's first manned mission, Boeing will pay close attention to "how the environment is controlled during a manned mission." Some of those variables include looking at the heat generated inside the Starliner, humidity levels and the performance of the cooling system.
In addition to the parachutes, Boeing also had to re-make the wiring harness tape on the Starliner. According to a Boeing executive:
The problem stemmed from the tape, and we inspected the vehicle and either removed the tape or put a barrier in place, or we discovered and demonstrated that the location where the tape was installed was not prone to the problem. So we've removed nearly a mile of tape from the car and reduced the tape installation area by about 85 to 90 percent of the car. Now we are ready to take off.
Boeing is currently refueling the Starliner, and propellant loading will be completed next week before transporting the rocket to the launch site. The company has also completed several reviews, including an executive review with its CEO this week to ensure Starliner is ready to fly.
In the next "Starliner" review, NASA will evaluate Boeing's work progress to ensure that there are no issues that need to be resolved before the "Starliner" flies. NASA's final review will be an agency review late next month.
Starliner will carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station. Boeing is currently building three of six spacecraft for NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP).
Compiled from:ScitechDaily