Boeing Starliner Stuck on Space Station as More Leaks Discovered.

yahoo news ^ | 06/12/2024 | Victor Tangermann

[NorthMountain]

Nitrogen is also inert, and much easier to contain.

Helium is the leakiest gas known to Man.

It has long been used to pressurize liquid propellant tanks, though ... Helium is much lighter than nitrogen, for the same pressurization capability.

Not relevant to Starliner, but Helium also has a much lower boiling point than oxygen and hydrogen, so its use with cryogenic propellants wont cause it to liquify.

[NorthMountain]

It’s Boeing, so we must hate it.

Because groupthink.

[SaxxonWoods]

Boeing, when you really, really don’t care if you die.

[The Louiswu]

"Anyone know why they use helium rather than some easier-to-contain gas?"

My understanding is that Helium has been used since Apollo to pressurize the fuel tanks. Helium does not mix with the fuel used as propellant and it forces the rest of the fuel into the fuel lines.

Early Apollo flights, before the introduction of Helium encountered a pogo effect as the fuel would "bounce" and swish inside the tanks since there was "nothing to hold it down", pressurized Helium solved that issue and they have been using it every since.

I just read this in a book about the Apollo 8 mission.

[Iron Munro]

DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH

[Skywise]

“ While Starliner is docked, all the manifolds are closed per normal mission operations preventing helium loss from the tanks,” Boeing explained in its update.”

But if the doors are sealed… how are they detecting the NEW leaks?

[Adder]

When yer Starliner be draggin, send a Dragon...

[TexasGator]

Helium is an inert and near perfect gas allowing for more efficiency in pressurized storage systems.

[ratzoe]

It’s Boeing, so we must hate it. Because groupthink.

That^

[Jan_Sobieski]

If we only had 1960s technology and those Black women doing calculations for us, we could keep a spacecraft in orbit 150 miles up…

[antidemoncrat]

Another Boeing success story?

[BigFreakinToad]

can you even call anything manifolds anymore? Personfolds? non bionaryfolds? They/themfolds?

[BigFreakinToad]

How about Junkliner?

[Thank You Rush]

I hadn’t heard a thing about it since the liftoff. After all the bad publicity about Boeing this year, I couldn’t help but think the two astronauts ARE BRAVE and was it on their minds that day?

[Big Red Badger]

One thing after Another.
Elections anyone?

[ridesthemiles]

MY FIRST THOUGHT, ALSO.

[who knows what evil?]

LOLOL!

[Reno89519]

Not impressed. They’ll have to send SpaceX up to rescue them!

[Reno89519]

“Wait, the mission statement says get these guys in orbit. Now you want us to bring them back? Make up your minds!”

Yep, sounds like a government program and someone forgot to verify the requirements. Maybe they missed one about compartment integrity as well. Reminds moe of the lander mix-up a few years ago using both meters and inches.

[Jeff Chandler]

Did a door fall off?