How much faster is reentry speed for trans lunar vs. earth orbit?
PP
SLS Roll-out
Re: SLS Roll-out
Aout 50%, I think, which when you look at KE is a lot.
Re: SLS Roll-out
I don't know what they did about the heatshield but the last article did say that they had to rework some of the parachute components.
Only possibly the two most critical components for reentry.
I would be sweating.
PP
Only possibly the two most critical components for reentry.
I would be sweating.
PP
Re: SLS Roll-out
Boeing forced to scrub first crewed Starliner launch to the space station
The launch attempt was called off roughly two hours ahead of the planned liftoff.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/b ... rcna150843
NASA and Boeing were forced to stand down from an attempted launch to the International Space Station on Monday because of a last-minute issue that cropped up with a valve on the spacecraft’s rocket.
Boeing’s Starliner capsule had been scheduled to lift off at 10:34 p.m. ET from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on its first crewed test flight. NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams were on board the capsule and strapped into their seats when the launch attempt was called off, roughly two hours ahead of the planned liftoff.
A new launch date has not yet been announced.
Mission controllers declared a launch “scrub” after an anomaly was detected on an oxygen valve on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, which the Starliner capsule was to ride into orbit.
The crewed Starliner flight, when it occurs, will be a crucial final test before NASA can authorize Boeing to conduct routine flights to and from the space station.
Officials at NASA and Boeing have said safety is paramount for the spacecraft's first flight with humans onboard.
The scrubbed launch is yet another setback for Boeing, which has already dealt with years of delays and budget overruns with its Starliner program. It has fallen significantly behind SpaceX, which has been flying crewed missions to and from the space station for NASA since 2020.
Both SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and Boeing’s Starliner craft were developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The initiative began more than a decade ago, following the retirement of the agency’s space shuttles, to support private companies in building new space vehicles to take astronauts to low-Earth orbit.
Starliner’s first uncrewed flight in 2019 was thwarted by software issues, forcing mission controllers to cut the test short before the vehicle could attempt to rendezvous and dock with the ISS. A second attempt was then delayed several times by fuel valve issues, and it wasn’t until 2022 that Boeing was able to carry out a successful uncrewed flight to and from the space station.
PP
The launch attempt was called off roughly two hours ahead of the planned liftoff.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/b ... rcna150843
NASA and Boeing were forced to stand down from an attempted launch to the International Space Station on Monday because of a last-minute issue that cropped up with a valve on the spacecraft’s rocket.
Boeing’s Starliner capsule had been scheduled to lift off at 10:34 p.m. ET from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on its first crewed test flight. NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams were on board the capsule and strapped into their seats when the launch attempt was called off, roughly two hours ahead of the planned liftoff.
A new launch date has not yet been announced.
Mission controllers declared a launch “scrub” after an anomaly was detected on an oxygen valve on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, which the Starliner capsule was to ride into orbit.
The crewed Starliner flight, when it occurs, will be a crucial final test before NASA can authorize Boeing to conduct routine flights to and from the space station.
Officials at NASA and Boeing have said safety is paramount for the spacecraft's first flight with humans onboard.
The scrubbed launch is yet another setback for Boeing, which has already dealt with years of delays and budget overruns with its Starliner program. It has fallen significantly behind SpaceX, which has been flying crewed missions to and from the space station for NASA since 2020.
Both SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and Boeing’s Starliner craft were developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The initiative began more than a decade ago, following the retirement of the agency’s space shuttles, to support private companies in building new space vehicles to take astronauts to low-Earth orbit.
Starliner’s first uncrewed flight in 2019 was thwarted by software issues, forcing mission controllers to cut the test short before the vehicle could attempt to rendezvous and dock with the ISS. A second attempt was then delayed several times by fuel valve issues, and it wasn’t until 2022 that Boeing was able to carry out a successful uncrewed flight to and from the space station.
PP
Re: SLS Roll-out
Boeing’s Starliner will roll back from launchpad for repairs after scrub of first crewed launch
Boeing’s historic Starliner mission now expected to launch no sooner than May 17 after valve issue
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/world/bo ... index.html
The long-awaited first crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will be delayed for more than a week after engineers identified an issue that halted launch preparations on Monday.
Starliner’s next opportunity to lift off on its maiden voyage from NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida is at 6:16 p.m. ET on May 17.
Veteran NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore had already taken their seats aboard the Starliner capsule when the operations team called for a scrub Monday night about two hours before launch.
The decision came after the United Launch Alliance team, which assembled the Atlas V rocket that Starliner will ride to space, identified an issue with a valve on the second stage, or upper portion, of the rocket.
Occasionally, valves can get into a position where they start to “buzz” by oscillating, or opening and closing rapidly, said Tory Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance. Some buzzing is OK, but too much could cause the valve to fail, Bruno added.
After safely removing Williams and Wilmore from the Starliner capsule Monday night, the United Launch Alliance team experimented with opening and closing the source of the buzz, a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank of the rocket’s upper stage. More oscillations occurred during the process to remove fuel from the rocket.
The team conducted a thorough review of the valve on Tuesday.
“After evaluating the valve history, data signatures from the launch attempt, and assessing the risks relative to continued use, the ULA team determined the valve exceeded its qualification and mission managers agreed to remove and replace the valve,” according to an update NASA shared.
The decision to replace the valve means that the rocket will need to be rolled back from the launchpad on Wednesday and into the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
While replacing the valve, the team will also conduct leak checks and other functional checkouts to ensure the rocket is ready for a potential May 17 launch attempt.
Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams will stay in crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center and remain in quarantine before the launch to protect their health.
Why this launch is so important
Before the valve issue arose, Starliner — which Boeing designed to rival SpaceX’s prolific Crew Dragon capsule — was set to take off for its inaugural crewed test run at 10:34 p.m. ET Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
This mission, dubbed the Crew Flight Test, could be the final major milestone before NASA deems Boeing’s spacecraft ready for routine operations as part of the federal agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The Starliner would join SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in NASA’s push to collaborate with private industry partners, expanding US options for ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, right, and Suni Williams will remain in quarantine until the launch.
Williams and Wilmore have each ventured to space on two previous journeys aboard the NASA space shuttle and Russian Soyuz missions.
“They’re checking out a lot of the systems: the life support, the manual control,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a Friday news conference. “That’s why we put two test pilots on board — and of course the résumés of Butch and Suni are extensive.”
The launch would mark only the sixth maiden voyage of a crewed spacecraft in US history, Nelson noted: “It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner.”
Williams will also become the first woman to join such a mission.
What to expect
If all goes according to plan following the launch, the spacecraft — carrying the astronauts — will break away from the Atlas V rocket after reaching orbit and begin firing its own engines. The Starliner will then spend more than 24 hours gradually making its way to the space station.
Williams and Wilmore are set to spend about a week aboard the orbiting laboratory, joining the seven astronauts and cosmonauts already on board, while the Starliner remains docked outside.
The two will then return home aboard the same Starliner capsule, which is expected to parachute to a landing at one of several designated locations across the southwestern United States.
PP
Boeing’s historic Starliner mission now expected to launch no sooner than May 17 after valve issue
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/world/bo ... index.html
The long-awaited first crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will be delayed for more than a week after engineers identified an issue that halted launch preparations on Monday.
Starliner’s next opportunity to lift off on its maiden voyage from NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida is at 6:16 p.m. ET on May 17.
Veteran NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore had already taken their seats aboard the Starliner capsule when the operations team called for a scrub Monday night about two hours before launch.
The decision came after the United Launch Alliance team, which assembled the Atlas V rocket that Starliner will ride to space, identified an issue with a valve on the second stage, or upper portion, of the rocket.
Occasionally, valves can get into a position where they start to “buzz” by oscillating, or opening and closing rapidly, said Tory Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance. Some buzzing is OK, but too much could cause the valve to fail, Bruno added.
After safely removing Williams and Wilmore from the Starliner capsule Monday night, the United Launch Alliance team experimented with opening and closing the source of the buzz, a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank of the rocket’s upper stage. More oscillations occurred during the process to remove fuel from the rocket.
The team conducted a thorough review of the valve on Tuesday.
“After evaluating the valve history, data signatures from the launch attempt, and assessing the risks relative to continued use, the ULA team determined the valve exceeded its qualification and mission managers agreed to remove and replace the valve,” according to an update NASA shared.
The decision to replace the valve means that the rocket will need to be rolled back from the launchpad on Wednesday and into the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
While replacing the valve, the team will also conduct leak checks and other functional checkouts to ensure the rocket is ready for a potential May 17 launch attempt.
Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams will stay in crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center and remain in quarantine before the launch to protect their health.
Why this launch is so important
Before the valve issue arose, Starliner — which Boeing designed to rival SpaceX’s prolific Crew Dragon capsule — was set to take off for its inaugural crewed test run at 10:34 p.m. ET Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
This mission, dubbed the Crew Flight Test, could be the final major milestone before NASA deems Boeing’s spacecraft ready for routine operations as part of the federal agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The Starliner would join SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in NASA’s push to collaborate with private industry partners, expanding US options for ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, right, and Suni Williams will remain in quarantine until the launch.
Williams and Wilmore have each ventured to space on two previous journeys aboard the NASA space shuttle and Russian Soyuz missions.
“They’re checking out a lot of the systems: the life support, the manual control,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a Friday news conference. “That’s why we put two test pilots on board — and of course the résumés of Butch and Suni are extensive.”
The launch would mark only the sixth maiden voyage of a crewed spacecraft in US history, Nelson noted: “It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner.”
Williams will also become the first woman to join such a mission.
What to expect
If all goes according to plan following the launch, the spacecraft — carrying the astronauts — will break away from the Atlas V rocket after reaching orbit and begin firing its own engines. The Starliner will then spend more than 24 hours gradually making its way to the space station.
Williams and Wilmore are set to spend about a week aboard the orbiting laboratory, joining the seven astronauts and cosmonauts already on board, while the Starliner remains docked outside.
The two will then return home aboard the same Starliner capsule, which is expected to parachute to a landing at one of several designated locations across the southwestern United States.
PP
Re: SLS Roll-out
First crewed launch of Boeing's spacecraft is delayed yet again due to a new issue
An issue with the capsule's rocket forced the launch to be postponed last week. But now, a new technical issue concerning the Starliner itself has forced another delay.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/b ... rcna152228
Boeing’s first Starliner mission carrying astronauts into space has been delayed again — until at least May 21 — over an issue with the spacecraft’s propulsion system, the company said on Tuesday.
Starliner’s mission carrying two NASA astronauts had been scheduled for liftoff from Florida last week, until a technical issue with its Atlas 5 rocket prompted a delay to Friday, May 17 — the latest postponement for a program years behind schedule and more than $1.5 billion over budget.
A new technical issue, now concerning Starliner itself, has prompted another postponement to at least next Tuesday, Boeing said in a statement.
“Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft’s service module,” Boeing said, adding that engineers traced the leak to a component on one of the propulsion system’s 28 control thrusters that are used for maneuvering in Earth’s orbit.
Boeing has been developing Starliner for more than a decade to provide NASA with a second U.S. spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, built under the same NASA program, first launched astronauts to space in 2020.
Starliner’s latest mission, called the Crewed Flight Test, is due to be the final test before the spacecraft is certified by the U.S. space agency to fly routine astronaut missions to the ISS. Boeing completed an uncrewed Starliner trip to the ISS in 2022 following years of technical and management issues.
NASA officials and Boeing engineers will run tests and try to fix the helium leak before the next possible launch window on May 21 at 4:43 p.m. ET. Helium is used on the Starliner to pressurize the fuel that powers the spacecraft’s thrusters for orbital maneuvering.
The Atlas 5 rocket that launches Starliner into space is built by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA). Before attempting to launch Starliner last week, ULA discovered a faulty valve on the Atlas 5 and rolled the rocket off the launchpad to replace the valve.
Sensors on Starliner first detected suspicious traces of helium inside the propulsion system while the spacecraft was on the launchpad last week, but those detections did not raise alarm to engineers at the time, according to a person briefed on the mission operations.
Boeing engineers investigated the helium detections while ULA was replacing the faulty valve on Atlas 5 and determined more testing and scrutiny was needed in order to meet the mission’s strict launch safety criteria, the person said.
PP
An issue with the capsule's rocket forced the launch to be postponed last week. But now, a new technical issue concerning the Starliner itself has forced another delay.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/b ... rcna152228
Boeing’s first Starliner mission carrying astronauts into space has been delayed again — until at least May 21 — over an issue with the spacecraft’s propulsion system, the company said on Tuesday.
Starliner’s mission carrying two NASA astronauts had been scheduled for liftoff from Florida last week, until a technical issue with its Atlas 5 rocket prompted a delay to Friday, May 17 — the latest postponement for a program years behind schedule and more than $1.5 billion over budget.
A new technical issue, now concerning Starliner itself, has prompted another postponement to at least next Tuesday, Boeing said in a statement.
“Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft’s service module,” Boeing said, adding that engineers traced the leak to a component on one of the propulsion system’s 28 control thrusters that are used for maneuvering in Earth’s orbit.
Boeing has been developing Starliner for more than a decade to provide NASA with a second U.S. spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, built under the same NASA program, first launched astronauts to space in 2020.
Starliner’s latest mission, called the Crewed Flight Test, is due to be the final test before the spacecraft is certified by the U.S. space agency to fly routine astronaut missions to the ISS. Boeing completed an uncrewed Starliner trip to the ISS in 2022 following years of technical and management issues.
NASA officials and Boeing engineers will run tests and try to fix the helium leak before the next possible launch window on May 21 at 4:43 p.m. ET. Helium is used on the Starliner to pressurize the fuel that powers the spacecraft’s thrusters for orbital maneuvering.
The Atlas 5 rocket that launches Starliner into space is built by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA). Before attempting to launch Starliner last week, ULA discovered a faulty valve on the Atlas 5 and rolled the rocket off the launchpad to replace the valve.
Sensors on Starliner first detected suspicious traces of helium inside the propulsion system while the spacecraft was on the launchpad last week, but those detections did not raise alarm to engineers at the time, according to a person briefed on the mission operations.
Boeing engineers investigated the helium detections while ULA was replacing the faulty valve on Atlas 5 and determined more testing and scrutiny was needed in order to meet the mission’s strict launch safety criteria, the person said.
PP
Re: SLS Roll-out
Historic Starliner launch attempt delayed again as teams continue to assess helium leak
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/17/world/bo ... index.html
NN
—
The target date for the highly anticipated inaugural crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has moved yet again.
Starliner’s first flight carrying astronauts was expected as soon as May 21 after two previous delays this month, but mission teams need more time to “work through spacecraft closeout processes and flight rationale,” and are now aiming to launch no sooner than 3:09 p.m. ET on May 25, according to a NASA release.
The update comes just days after Starliner teams reported a small helium leak in the service module of the spacecraft. They traced the leak to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster, where helium is used to allow the thrusters to fire. Additional time before launch will give specialists more time to evaluate this issue, though tests thus far have found that the leak doesn’t pose a threat to the mission, according to NASA’s latest update.
“Pressure testing performed on May 15 on the spacecraft’s helium system showed the leak in the flange is stable and would not pose a risk at that level during the flight,” the space agency said in its news release. “The testing also indicated the rest of the thruster system is sealed effectively across the entire service module. Boeing teams are working to develop operational procedures to ensure the system retains sufficient performance capability and appropriate redundancy during the flight.”
This mission, dubbed the Crew Flight Test, could be the final major milestone before NASA deems Boeing’s spacecraft ready for routine operations as part of the federal agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The historic crewed flight was about two hours from liftoff on May 6 when it was scrubbed due to an issue with the a valve on the second stage, or upper portion, of the Atlas V rocket that Starliner will ride to space.
The NASA astronauts set to crew the mission for a weeklong stay at the International Space Station, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, have been in preflight quarantine but returned to Houston on May 10 to spend time with their families, Boeing said. Williams and Wilmore will fly back to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida closer to the new launch date, according to the space agency’s latest release.
Boeing’s historic aims
The Crew Flight Test is a decade in the making — the culmination of Boeing’s efforts to develop a spacecraft worthy of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station under NASA’s commercial program.
The launch would mark only the sixth maiden voyage of a crewed spacecraft in US history, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson noted in a news conference earlier this month.
“It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner,” he said.
Boeing designed the Starliner to rival SpaceX’s prolific Crew Dragon capsule and expand US options for ferrying astronauts to the space station.
On board, Williams will also make history as the first woman to embark on such a mission.
A rocky start
Development hang-ups, test flight problems and other costly setbacks have slowed Starliner’s path to the launchpad. Meanwhile, Boeing’s rival under NASA’s commercial crew program — SpaceX — has become the go-to transportation provider for the space agency’s astronauts.
Williams and Wilmore were already in their seats aboard the Starliner capsule May 6 when engineers found an issue and halted the launch.
The United Launch Alliance team, which builds the Atlas V rocket, identified a pressure regulation valve on a liquid oxygen tank that needed replacing. The valve has since been replaced, but the latest issue with the helium leak on the Boeing spacecraft that sits atop the rocket has caused further delay.
If the spacecraft does launch next week as planned, it and the astronauts inside will break away from the Atlas V rocket after reaching orbit, as Starliner begins firing its own engines. The vehicle will likely spend more than 24 hours gradually making its way to the space station.
Williams and Wilmore are set to spend about a week at the orbiting laboratory, joining the seven astronauts and cosmonauts already on board, while the Starliner remains docked outside.
The history-making crew will then return home aboard the same Starliner capsule, which is expected to parachute to a landing at one of several designated locations across the southwestern United States.
PP
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/17/world/bo ... index.html
NN
—
The target date for the highly anticipated inaugural crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has moved yet again.
Starliner’s first flight carrying astronauts was expected as soon as May 21 after two previous delays this month, but mission teams need more time to “work through spacecraft closeout processes and flight rationale,” and are now aiming to launch no sooner than 3:09 p.m. ET on May 25, according to a NASA release.
The update comes just days after Starliner teams reported a small helium leak in the service module of the spacecraft. They traced the leak to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster, where helium is used to allow the thrusters to fire. Additional time before launch will give specialists more time to evaluate this issue, though tests thus far have found that the leak doesn’t pose a threat to the mission, according to NASA’s latest update.
“Pressure testing performed on May 15 on the spacecraft’s helium system showed the leak in the flange is stable and would not pose a risk at that level during the flight,” the space agency said in its news release. “The testing also indicated the rest of the thruster system is sealed effectively across the entire service module. Boeing teams are working to develop operational procedures to ensure the system retains sufficient performance capability and appropriate redundancy during the flight.”
This mission, dubbed the Crew Flight Test, could be the final major milestone before NASA deems Boeing’s spacecraft ready for routine operations as part of the federal agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The historic crewed flight was about two hours from liftoff on May 6 when it was scrubbed due to an issue with the a valve on the second stage, or upper portion, of the Atlas V rocket that Starliner will ride to space.
The NASA astronauts set to crew the mission for a weeklong stay at the International Space Station, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, have been in preflight quarantine but returned to Houston on May 10 to spend time with their families, Boeing said. Williams and Wilmore will fly back to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida closer to the new launch date, according to the space agency’s latest release.
Boeing’s historic aims
The Crew Flight Test is a decade in the making — the culmination of Boeing’s efforts to develop a spacecraft worthy of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station under NASA’s commercial program.
The launch would mark only the sixth maiden voyage of a crewed spacecraft in US history, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson noted in a news conference earlier this month.
“It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner,” he said.
Boeing designed the Starliner to rival SpaceX’s prolific Crew Dragon capsule and expand US options for ferrying astronauts to the space station.
On board, Williams will also make history as the first woman to embark on such a mission.
A rocky start
Development hang-ups, test flight problems and other costly setbacks have slowed Starliner’s path to the launchpad. Meanwhile, Boeing’s rival under NASA’s commercial crew program — SpaceX — has become the go-to transportation provider for the space agency’s astronauts.
Williams and Wilmore were already in their seats aboard the Starliner capsule May 6 when engineers found an issue and halted the launch.
The United Launch Alliance team, which builds the Atlas V rocket, identified a pressure regulation valve on a liquid oxygen tank that needed replacing. The valve has since been replaced, but the latest issue with the helium leak on the Boeing spacecraft that sits atop the rocket has caused further delay.
If the spacecraft does launch next week as planned, it and the astronauts inside will break away from the Atlas V rocket after reaching orbit, as Starliner begins firing its own engines. The vehicle will likely spend more than 24 hours gradually making its way to the space station.
Williams and Wilmore are set to spend about a week at the orbiting laboratory, joining the seven astronauts and cosmonauts already on board, while the Starliner remains docked outside.
The history-making crew will then return home aboard the same Starliner capsule, which is expected to parachute to a landing at one of several designated locations across the southwestern United States.
PP