Posted on 08/12/2024 6:45:54 PM PDT by george76
NASA is grappling with a critical decision regarding the return of astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station (ISS) amid concerns over the Boeing Starliner’s autonomous undocking capabilities and the spacecraft’s potential to damage one of only two docking ports on the space station.
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plagued by multiple technical issues, significantly extending the originally planned eight-day mission. As NASA deliberates on the best course of action for bringing the astronauts home, a surprising revelation has emerged regarding the Starliner’s flight software.
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the current flight software onboard the Starliner lacks the ability to perform an automated undocking from the ISS and entry into Earth’s atmosphere. This revelation is particularly perplexing
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Boeing has proposed pushing a software update to the Starliner in orbit to address this issue. However, NASA is hesitant to proceed with this plan, fearing that it could potentially damage one of the two crewed-vehicle docking ports on the ISS. The space agency must be absolutely certain that any attempt to autonomously return the Starliner to Earth would not render the port inoperable.
As a result of these concerns, NASA is considering an alternative solution: bringing Wilmore and Williams home on a SpaceX Crew Dragon and flying the Boeing Starliner back empty. This option would require delaying the upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission, originally scheduled for August 18, to September 24. The mission would then be conducted with two astronauts instead of four, leaving two empty seats for Wilmore and Williams.
The root cause behind the Starliner thruster failures that have prolonged the mission remains unknown, further complicating the decision-making process. NASA’s primary concern is ensuring the safety of the astronauts and the integrity of the ISS while finding a solution to the Starliner’s software issues.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
First, fire Bill Nelson as NASA administrator.
Boeing: Space wrecking crew.
We’re in the dimming twilight of a new Dark Age.
These accomplished, veteran astronauts deserve better than this. Boeing is so damned lost. It’s really hard to believe after being a gold standard company for most of my life.
This is a job for, Superman.
Figure out a spacewalk or manual release of the capsule, send it into de-orbit, let it burn up on entry, cancel the contract. Done.
Give it a kick to push it away from the Space Station?
Lol.
> We’re in the dimming twilight of a new Dark Age. <
Good comment. The Dark Ages were a time when science and inquiry were suppressed. You accepted approved beliefs, or you were burned at the stake.
We are back to that today. Accept “diversity” hiring, or pay the price. Accept the “Climate Change” fraud, or pay the price. Etc.
No one is being burning at the stake now, at least not yet. But you will lose your job and your reputation if you question the party line.
Boeing can’t even build airplanes anymore, let alone spacecraft.
I bet Elon Musk will send a Resue Effort to bring them home, about 3 days before the election. And this will be all over the news..how a Businessman President can work with a Space Business person and get MORE done than politicians who flunked bar exams, and Vice Presidents who worked keeping the peace for 20 years at the High School Cafeteria.
That’s a great idea. I look forward to Elon bringing them home in a Crew Dragon!
The Boeing Starliner Max-8.
“...get MORE done than a POTUS who boinked her way to the top, changed her race as needed to get ahead, who flunked bar exams, and hasn’t done a damn thing except oppress Californian black men and Vice Presidents who worked keeping the peace for 20 years at the High School Cafeteria.”
Boeing is the Pfizer of aerospace companies.
We figured this stuff out in 1968 with slide rules.
They forgot how to dock space ships???!!
Option 1:
* SpaceX capsule with 2 empty seats, one boards SpaceX.
* SpaceX pulls back. Secure EVA kit external to Boeing if too big to stow/exit when kitted up.
* 1 boards Boeing, manually undocks. Kits up for EVA from unit external to Boeing, exits Boeing. Drop Boeing away from ISS and de-orbit.
* EVA to SpaceX, discard/stow EVA kit. Head for home.
Option 2:
* 1 boards SpaceX, 1 boards Boeing.
* SpaceX pulls back, Boeing undocks and pulls back
* SpaceX docks with Boeing, 2nd astronaut transfers to SpaceX.
* Boeing undocks from SpaceX, deorbits
* SpaceX heads for home
Depending on docking ports, Boeing may have to undock before 2nd astronaut boards SpaceX.
Cheese and crackers, this isn’t Apollo 13.
They should just cut their losses and jettison the thing and let it burn up.
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