The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was tethered atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket last summer. The August launch was called off and NASA says it is now looking to relaunch next year.
United Launch Alliance
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft continues to struggle to reach the International Space Station as the test of unmanned Orbital Flight 2 is now pushed to the International Space Station next year. The test is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew program, in which the space agency is working with private companies such as Boeing and SpaceX to get astronauts to the station.
NASA said Friday that the team behind OFT-2 is “working to find launch opportunities in the first half of 2022.” follow it Pure launch last August. In December 2019, the first major Starliner did not fly as planned, Met Launch of unmanned spacecraft, but suffers a timing problem and fails to reach the International Space Station. However, he has returned safely to Earth.
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The problem with the OGT-2 now relates to “an oxidized isolation valve problem in the Starliner service unit drive system”. NASA says: Yesterday in a blog post.
“This is a complex issue involving dangerous goods and complex areas of spacecraft that are not easily accessible. A systematic approach and sound technique has been used to conduct an effective screening,” Steve Stitch, Director Commercial Crew Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, he said in the post.
In addition to trying to achieve NASA’s goal of “safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station and Low Earth Orbit”, Commercial Crew Program Relations with the space agency Artemis On Moon to Mars plan. Artemis calls for the first woman and the next man to be placed on the moon soonand ultimately create sustainable exploration there. The knowledge gained from Artemis will be used to prepare for sending astronauts to red planet.
So far, SpaceX and its Crew Dragon spacecraft have been luckier than Boeing when it comes to the Commercial Crew program. After some delays, the company founded by Elon Musk has completed its work Demo Test Mission 1 unmanned In 2019 and since then Transporting Astronauts to the International Space Station many times. Earlier this week, NASA said it did: Reset some astronauts From Boeing missions to the upcoming SpaceX mission. In April, NASA She announced that she chose SpaceX Provide a human landing system for Artemis.
There is also a space tourism corner for SpaceX. In June, the company signed a deal for Sending space tourists to the International Space Station Starting next year (with a price tag of $55 million per seat). And last month, SpaceX took a step in that direction when Mission Inspiration4 Send a crew of ordinary citizens to orbit.
It is not clear when exactly Boeing’s Orbital Test 2 will take place.
“Possible launch windows for OFT-2 are still being evaluated by NASA, Boeing, the United Launch Alliance and the Eastern Group,” NASA said in its post. “The team is currently working on capabilities in the first half of 2022, pending instrument readiness, rocket manifest and space station availability.”
