NASA and Boeing set June 1 launch date for Starliner
Posted: Mon, May 27, 2024, 9:21 AM ET (1321 GMT)
NASA and Boeing are targeting a June 1 launch of the first crewed CST-100 Starliner spacecraft after resolving a helium leak in the spacecraft. At a briefing Friday, officials said they had concluded a helium leak in one thruster in the spacecraft, which caused a series of launch postponements, was not a safety risk and could be managed without repairing the faulty component, a process that would have taken months. During that review, engineers discovered a "design vulnerability" in Starliner's propulsion system that could have prevented the spacecraft from performing a deborit burn in the event of a rare series of failures. A new backup deorbit burn approach has been developed as a workaround for this launch while Boeing investigates long-term hardware or software changes for future missions.
NASA and Boeing are targeting a June 1 launch of the first crewed CST-100 Starliner spacecraft after resolving a helium leak in the spacecraft. At a briefing Friday, officials said they had concluded a helium leak in one thruster in the spacecraft, which caused a series of launch postponements, was not a safety risk and could be managed without repairing the faulty component, a process that would have taken months. During that review, engineers discovered a "design vulnerability" in Starliner's propulsion system that could have prevented the spacecraft from performing a deborit burn in the event of a rare series of failures. A new backup deorbit burn approach has been developed as a workaround for this launch while Boeing investigates long-term hardware or software changes for future missions.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Thales and Airbus to build next-generation radar imaging satellites
Posted: Sat, Jun 13 10:02 AM ET (1402 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, June 17
Ariane 6 with P160C-based boosters ready for liftoff
ESA — 6:30 am ET (1030 GMT) Vandenberg Space Force Base Modernizes Historic Space Launch Complex-6 For Next-Generation Launch Operations
US Space Force — 6:28 am ET (1028 GMT) Space Force evaluating new launch complex near Port Canaveral
WFTV Orlando — 6:27 am ET (1027 GMT) Historic demolition at Vandenberg Space Force Base
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 6:27 am ET (1027 GMT) The SpaceX IPO has a bright side
Washington Post — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) |
