If the capsule reaches the International Space Station on Friday and all goes well, two or three NASA test pilots could buckle by the end of this year. (Image: 123RF)
Cape Canaveral-The Boeing Company crew capsule soared into orbit Thursday on a repeated test flight without astronauts, after years on the ground with defects that could damage the spacecraft.
Only one test dummy was on board. If the capsule lands on the International Space Station on Friday and all goes well, two or three NASA test pilots could buckle by the end of this year or early next year for the first flight. to the company crew.
This is Boeing’s third attempt for high-stakes flight demonstration. At least by this time, the Starliner craft had landed in proper orbit, and quickly targeted the space station despite a pair of failed thrusters. The most important encounter and mooring can be seen on the horizon.
“Another great day for us,” said Boeing Vice President and Commercial Crew Program Manager Mark Nappi. We may have a few sleepless nights to finish the rest of the mission, but it feels so good now. “
The first test flight of the Starliner spacecraft in 2019 experienced software errors that were so severe that the capsule went into the wrong orbit and had to skip the space station. The spacecraft was nearly destroyed, as ground controllers quickly aborted the mission.
After dozens of security fixes, Boeing returned another capsule to the launch pad last summer. Broken countdown valves were delayed, prompting another repair.
The endless test flight program will cost Boeing approximately US $ 600 million.
“We won’t fly (crews) unless we think we’ve reduced the risk,” said Kathy Lueders, head of NASA’s space operations.
Boeing seeks to reclaim itself as it tries to catch up with SpaceX, NASA’s other contracted space transportation service. This company founded by Elon Musk delivered astronauts to and from the space station for two years and delivered goods for an entire decade.
Eager to reduce its costly reliance on Russia for crew transportation, NASA contracted Boeing and SpaceX to send astronauts to the space station after the shuttle program in 2011. why it is so important for the Starliner spacecraft to succeed of Boeing, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
“In that case, we still want to have an alternative,” Nelson told The Associated Press hours before the flight.
Different in appearance, but similar in function to SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, Boeing’s fully automated capsule will attempt to dock at the space station on its own. Astronaut stations will be ready to fly the capsule via remote control, if necessary.
The capsule still has ten good thrusters for basic movements, including orbit release at the end of flight, officials said. The malfunctioning thrusters actually fired a few moments before failing out of time in succession; a back-up system was triggered to put the spacecraft in proper orbit.
“We’re doing it one at a time, and now we have to put this spacecraft at its speeds and learn a few things,” Lueders told reporters after the liftoff.
The Starliner spacecraft will spend about five days on the space station before aiming to land in the New Mexico desert next Wednesday.
NASA has not yet finalized which astronauts will be part of the Starliner’s first crew. The program was so late on schedule that the first three astronauts pulled out. Top contenders gathered at Cape Canaveral for the Starliner launch night aboard the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket.
“We’re excited because the next one is us,” astronaut Butch Wilmore said.
The capsule carries space walking supplies and equipment for seven station residents. U.S. spacewalks have been suspended since an astronaut’s helmet was watered down in March. NASA is sending additional absorbent pads for use on helmets, in case an emergency spacewalk is needed as the investigation continues.
Boeing was carrying memorabilia from historic black colleges and universities, as well as tree seeds similar to those taken by Apollo astronauts on the moon that turned into lunar trees here on Earth.