ULA Launches NASA’s Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test

Nasa Space Flight ^ | 6/5/2024 | Nasa Space Flight

[6ppc]

Here is a live stream of the latest attempt to get Starliner off the ground from Nasa Space Flight's youtube channel. Launch is scheduled for 10:52 EDT. This is an instantaneous launch window. If they have any delay it will be scrubbed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rInMeY7m4vA

I tried to find the betting odds on it actually getting off the ground today, but couldn't find anything. My bet is 50%.

Tomorrow SpaceX is launching Starship Flight Test 4. Launch window starts at 8 am EDT. I give SpaceX 90% chance of getting it off the ground.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“One of the compromises when we brought the Russians aboard ISS construction in the 90’s.”

I had no idea. So the Russians wanted the high inclination so it would fly over their territory?

[Magnum44]

It has to do with the launch latitude. You get the best performance of a launch vehicle by using the rotation of the Earth to assist in getting to orbit (launch East as the Earth rotates). Its more costly to launch into a lower inclination or a higher inclination. Florida launches are at 28 degrees latitude. Russia launches from higher latitude (~48 degrees). So the joint design when Russia was welcomed in after the USSR dissolved was the higher latitude to accommodate them better. Lots of other trades that play into that (safe launch directions for range safety, science goals, etc) but this was one of them.

[plain talk]

thanks for the education on that topic.

[Campion]

In hindsight, a big mistake.

It does give the ISS really good coverage over earth's surface, though.

[Jeff Chandler]

The rocket part looks way too small

I believe it's an Atlas 5.

[NorthMountain]

Bump for Starliner/ISS docking.

[NorthMountain]

Docking successful.