It could fly again. But it has to want to fly again.
If it doesn't want to, then that's OK too! Every spacecraft is unique and different!
Posted on 09/03/2024 1:52:35 PM PDT by george76
The good news is that Boeing was able to update the automated flight software on its troubled Starliner space capsule, allowing NASA to return it unmanned to Earth no sooner than Friday. The bad news — or at least the serious question — is whether Starliner will ever fly again.
NASA decided last week not to fly astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams home on board the same ship they flew to ISS on due to safety concerns about the service module's malfunctioning thrusters. While an astronaut is sometimes scheduled in advance to return to Earth on board a different space capsule, this is the first time anything like Boeing's snafu has happened...
the discussion between NASA and Boeing "was heated."
"Boeing was convinced that the Starliner was in good enough condition to bring the astronauts home, and NASA disagreed. Strongly disagreed," a NASA source told ... "The thinking around here was that Boeing was being wildly irresponsible."
...
When that NASA source .., "Boeing wasn’t happy," that was certainly an understatement.
So, what's next for Starliner?
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The company is already $1.6 billion in the red on Starliner.
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....
Complicating things further, it seems impossible that NASA will not certify Starliner for any manned missions until it completes a manned flight test — at the company's expense under the fixed-price contract. That's going to cost Boeing at least another $100 million, plus however many millions it will take to diagnose and fix those thrusters.
Fixing Starliner means more delays, too — months? years? And ISS is scheduled to be deorbited (by a souped-up SpaceX Dragon) in 2030.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
"Boeing was convinced that the Starliner was in good enough condition to bring the astronauts home, and NASA disagreed. Strongly disagreed," a NASA source told ... "The thinking around here was that Boeing was being wildly irresponsible." [NASA source]
LOL!
“Just upload the 737 MAX software to the capsule, it got things down to the ground quick.”
With that, you absolutely and irrefutably win the Internet today.
I most humbly salute you.
[snip] I think the decision to bring it back with no crew aboard has already been made, but in the meantime the teams are trying to get as much data as possible before it disintegrates on reentry... I doubt that they’ll build another one or fly any they already have in process. [/snip]Astronauts stuck in space at least another week as Boeing and NASA troubleshoot Starliner spacecraft issues [me, post #21, 6/20/2024, 9:19:59 AM]
If the capsule burns up on reentry, even empty, Boeing will have MAJOR credibility issues.
Their just thrusters we've been using them since the 1950s. What idiot "Change Agent" decided to redesign them.
So much institutional knowledge has been lost in the last 20 years.
Nothing will ever top the double sonic booms of a shuttle coming in.
[snip] ...it's built to do a last second propulsive landing on dry land, which would be foolhardy to try now with passengers. There's no way SpaceX won't be giving them the ride home. [/snip]Boeing Wins Space Mission Contracts Owing To Its 'Armies Of Lobbyists,' Says SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Amid Starliner Return Delay [me, post #25, 7/31/2024, 8:02:55 AM]
[snip] ...the ground tests have only identified the problems, and these are all things that should have been figured out during engineering and development...
If they send the craft back to Earth uncrewed and it fails (as seems likely) NASA will have to suspend the contract for the crewed flights until the craft (already delayed a few years) has its bugs ironed out.
If uncrewed automated landing (propulsive, on land) actually succeeds, sending the crew down in a different craft -- by a competitor -- will have been the right move but make them look like they can't get the job done.
Of course, if they send the crew aboard Starliner for return to Earth and it works, it will look more like gambling with their lives than it will look like a success. [/snip]NASA Might Delay Upcoming Crew 9 Mission to Return Stranded Starliner Astronauts to Earth [me, post #23, 8/6/2024, 10:04:31 AM]
I’ll bet a lot of astronauts hope not.
Hope when it crashes it’s in to the ocean
Might want to get that chicken back to the hen house before they count it.
The noise from the speakers is a part of the auto re entry software down load.
Pretty sure the capsule is safe for re entry but probably not so sure that I’d like to ride it down
Reasonably confident it will make it through re entry
NASA was breathtakingly reckless and irresponsible sending that ship up with squawks on the helium system for the thrusters but now they are probably being hyper paranoid and conservative about the return
This is the hall mark of feckless, incompetent and politicized high level management’s failure to lead.
The entire upper level management of NASA should be canned and a strong case can be made that NASA has outlived its purpose
It could fly again. But it has to want to fly again.
If it doesn't want to, then that's OK too! Every spacecraft is unique and different!
Last shuttle was July 2011. This is what we have 13 years later and Elon is making them look like idiots. Sad state of affairs.
What got my attention about the noise (that sounded like it was from The Hunt for Red October) is that the very seasoned astronauts did not know what it was and had to call in for information.
That is a strong indicator of poor training or communications or a new problem—none of those good.
The flying Edsel returns to earth, maybe?
My question do they know why multiple thrusters failed and how many thrusters are needed to keep the capsule properly oriented for the reentry rocket burn?
Prediction, a bouncing boeing.
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