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133-677: Boeing Crew Flight Test ( Boe-CFT ) was the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner capsule. Launched on 5 June 2024, the mission flew a crew of two NASA astronauts, Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams , from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to the International Space Station . The mission was meant to last eight days, ending on 14 June with a landing in the American Southwest . However, Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned as it approached

266-447: A Crew Dragon, joining members of the planned SpaceX Crew-9 mission. That mission would launch with two astronauts on board instead of four, leaving two empty seats for Williams and Wilmore. Because ISS has only two IDSS ports, Starliner must undock before Crew-9 can dock. Because each crew member must have a "lifeboat" to use if the station suffers an emergency, SpaceX developed and NASA approved an emergency evacuation configuration of

399-556: A US$ 4.2 billion to complete and certify the Starliner, while SpaceX received a US$ 2.6 billion to complete and certify Crew Dragon . To receive the full contract amount, each company would need to successfully complete an abort test , an uncrewed orbital flight test, a crewed orbital flight test, and six crewed missions to the ISS. However, NASA would not need to pay for any failed tests and was only required to purchase two crewed missions to

532-515: A brief glitch in its navigation system and a consistent failure to ignite by one of the 12 thrusters used to orient the capsule during atmospheric re-entry. The thruster that failed is a monopropellant thruster built into the crew capsule proper and is completely independent of the bipropellant thruster system in the service module that malfunctioned in orbit. [REDACTED] Media related to Boeing Crew Flight Test at Wikimedia Commons Boeing Starliner The Boeing Starliner (or CST-100 )

665-551: A comsat for the Air Force. Atlas boosters were also used for the last four crewed Project Mercury missions, the first United States crewed space program. On February 20, 1962, it launched Friendship 7 , which made three Earth orbits carrying John Glenn , the first United States astronaut to orbit the Earth. Identical Atlas boosters successfully launched three more crewed Mercury orbital missions from 1962 to 1963. Atlas saw

798-763: A crew of up to seven, though NASA plans to fly no more than four. It can remain docked to the ISS for up to seven months and is launched on an Atlas V N22 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida. In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing a US$ 4.2 billion fixed-price contract to build Starliner, while SpaceX received $ 2.6 billion to develop Crew Dragon . By October 2024, Boeing's effort had exceeded its budget by at least $ 1.85   billion. Originally planned to be operational in 2017, Starliner has been repeatedly delayed by problems in management and engineering. The first uncrewed Orbital Flight Test in December 2019

931-622: A crewed spacecraft utilizing a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles since Mercury-Atlas 9 flown by Gordon Cooper in May 1963 and the first launch of a crewed spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station since that of Apollo 7 in October 1968. The uncrewed Starliner made a ground landing at White Sands in New Mexico. In 2023, following the discovery of a technical problem with

1064-405: A deorbit burn in a very remote failure mode; engineers then devised a new reentry mode to employ should this failure mode occur. Astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams after returning to Houston following the previous scrub, flew back to Kennedy Space Center on 28 May. After a 29 May meeting, teams from NASA, Boeing, and ULA confirmed readiness for a 1 June launch. In late May, the pump in

1197-493: A fifth small helium leak in the service module, plus a new problem: an RCS oxidizer isolation valve that did not close properly. On 15 June, the spacecraft was powered on for a test of the RCS thrusters, during which seven of eight aft-facing thrusters performed nominally, including four of the five that had malfunctioned during docking. One thruster, which could not be restored during docking, was deemed unusable and would not be used for

1330-551: A future mission. Williams is the first woman to fly on a maiden crewed flight of an orbital spacecraft. The third launch of the Atlas V N22 variant launched Starliner with a crew of two. The vehicle docked with the International Space Station and was supposed to return to Earth for a ground landing in the southwestern United States. Originally intended as an eight-day mission, Starliner encountered problems with

1463-543: A half vehicles were used during Project FIRE as sounding rockets . By 1979, Atlas space launcher variants had been whittled down to just the Atlas-Centaur and some refurbished ICBMs. The launch rate of Atlases decreased in the 1980s due to the advent of the Space Shuttle , but Atlas launches continued until 2004, when the last "classic" Atlas with balloon tanks and the jettisonable booster section launched

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1596-665: A joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, secured $ 6.7 million to develop the Emergency Detection System to allow its Atlas V rocket to be human-rated to launch Starliner. At the time, Boeing expressed optimism that the Starliner could be operational as early as 2015, contingent upon timely approvals and funding. In October 2011, NASA announced that the Orbiter Processing Facility -3 at Kennedy Space Center would be leased to Boeing for manufacture and test of Starliner, through

1729-542: A money-losing program and in October The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing was exploring a sale of some of its space division programs, including Starliner. Various validation tests began on test articles in 2011 and continued on actual spacecraft starting in 2019. In September 2011, Boeing announced the completion of a set of ground drop tests to validate the design of the airbag cushioning system. The airbags are located underneath

1862-488: A new service module, which provides propulsion and power-generation capacity for the spacecraft. Starliner features wireless Internet and tablet technology for crew interfaces. Starliner uses the NASA Docking System . Boeing modified the Starliner design prior to OFT-2, adding a hinged re-entry cover below its expendable nosecone for additional protection of the docking port during atmospheric entry . This

1995-406: A partial failure. After launch, the spacecraft captured an " mission elapsed time " from its Atlas V launch vehicle that was 11 hours off. Consequently, when the spacecraft separated from the rocket, instead of briefly firing its reaction control thrusters to enter orbit, its computers commanded them to fire for far longer, consuming so much fuel that the spacecraft no longer had enough to dock with

2128-727: A partnership with Space Florida . Over the next three years, NASA would hold three more rounds of development funding, awarding Boeing $ 92.3 million under CCDev   2 in 2011, $ 460 million under the Commercial Crew integrated Capability (CCiCap) program in 2012, and $ 9.9 million under the Certification Products Contract (CPC) in 2013. NASA was expected to announce its selection for the lucrative Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract in September 2014. Boeing had lobbied NASA for

2261-433: A problem throughout the mission. The third launch attempt on 5 June at 14:52:15   UTC (10:52:15   am   EDT local time at the launch site) was successful. The first uncrewed test, Boe‐OFT, originally planned for 2017, was delayed by development problems. It launched in 2019, but software errors prevented Starliner from reaching the ISS during that flight, precipitating delays to subsequent flights. Boe‐OFT‐2,

2394-504: A reusable capsule and an expendable service module and is designed for missions to low Earth orbit . The capsule accommodates seven passengers, or a mix of crew and cargo. For NASA missions to the ISS it will carry four passengers and a small amount of cargo. The Starliner capsule uses a weldless, spun-formed structure and is reusable up to 10 times with a six-month turnaround time. Boeing plans to alternate between two reusable crew modules for all planned Starliner missions. Each flight uses

2527-558: A sole-source contract, arguing that it needed the program's full budget for the successful development of Starliner. Within NASA, there was considerable support for this approach, with many decision-makers expressing confidence in Boeing's capabilities and safety record. In fact, NASA officials had even drafted a justification for selecting Boeing as the sole provider. While William H. Gerstenmaier , NASA's human exploration lead, had considered

2660-530: Is a spacecraft designed to transport crew to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and other low-Earth-orbit destinations. Developed by Boeing under NASA 's Commercial Crew Program (CCP), it consists of a reusable crew capsule and an expendable service module . Slightly larger than the Apollo command module or SpaceX Crew Dragon , but smaller than the Orion capsule , the Starliner can accommodate

2793-665: Is built in Decatur, Alabama , and maintains two launch sites: Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Space Launch Complex 3-E at Vandenberg Space Force Base . The Atlas V's first stage is called the Common Core Booster (CCB), which continues to use the Energomash RD-180 introduced in the Atlas III, but employs a rigid framework instead of balloon tanks. The rigid fuselage

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2926-567: Is heavier, but easier to handle and transport, eliminating the need for constant internal pressure. Up to five Aerojet Rocketdyne strap-on solid rocket boosters can be used to augment first stage thrust. The upper stage remains the Centaur , powered by a single or dual Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engines. In 2014, US Congress passed legislation restricting the purchase and use of the Russian-supplied RD-180 engine used on

3059-620: Is the second mission for the Starliner Calypso capsule. NASA announced that Boeing prepared to reassemble the vehicle for flight, following multiple checkouts, for the CFT mission in August 2020, and that new parachutes and airbags would be fitted. The Boe-CFT capsule's docking system was modified to accommodate the new re-entry cover, which debuted on the Boe-OFT‐2 test flight. Because of

3192-434: The Centaur second stage. The solid rocket boosters separated from the rocket 2 minutes and 20 seconds after liftoff. The core stage continued firing until 4 minutes and 28 seconds after launch and was separated shortly thereafter. The Centaur second stage then began firing until 11 minutes and 52 seconds after launch. The Starliner spacecraft separated from the second stage about 15 minutes after liftoff. To maximize safety, it

3325-507: The Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , Florida. The Atlas' engines were upgraded and the structure reinforced for the large upper stage, along with elongated propellant tanks. The first launch attempt of an Atlas-Centaur in May 1962 failed, the rocket exploding after take-off. Footage of this was shown in the penultimate shot of the 1982 art film Koyaanisqatsi , directed by Godfrey Reggio . Beginning in 1963,

3458-532: The Mercury program missions (1962–1963). The first successful test launch of an SM-65 Atlas missile was on 17 December 1957. Approximately 350 Atlas missiles were built. The Atlas boosters would collapse under their own weight if not kept pressurized with nitrogen gas in the tanks when devoid of propellants. The Atlas booster was unusual in its use of "balloon" tanks. The rockets were made from very thin stainless steel that offered minimal or no rigid support. It

3591-639: The Ranger program to obtain the first close-up images of the surface of the Moon and for Mariner 2 , the first spacecraft to fly by another planet. Each of the Agena target vehicles used for the later space rendezvous practice missions of Gemini was launched on an Atlas rocket. The Atlas-Centaur was an expendable launch system derived from the SM-65D Atlas missile. Launches were conducted from two pads of

3724-501: The White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on an RCS thruster that had been planned to be used on a future Starliner mission. The team simulated conditions that Calypso experienced from launch to docking with over 1,000 pulses, then simulated five undock-to-deorbit firing sequences with 500 pulses, including sequences with longer and more frequent pulses. These tests were completed by 18 July. During these tests,

3857-913: The White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the Willcox Playa in Arizona and the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. Edwards Air Force Base in California serves as a contingency landing location. All of the landing sites are in the Western United States, allowing the service module to be jettisoned for a destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean. Boeing says that between all five landing sites, there will be around 450 landing opportunities each year. Following

3990-609: The chief of the astronaut office that he would not fly on Starliner. Hurley and Behnken would later go on to command the Crew Dragon's historic Demo-2 mission, the first crewed flight of the spacecraft. Williams would fly into space on the Boeing Crew Flight Test, but would return to Earth on a Crew Dragon, after thrusters malfunctioned on the Starliner. Despite being initially awarded significantly more funding, Boeing has faced substantial budget overruns for

4123-635: The liquid hydrogen -fueled Centaur upper stage was also used on dozens of Atlas launches. NASA launched the Surveyor program lunar lander spacecraft and most of the Mars-bound Mariner program spacecraft with Atlas-Centaur launch vehicles. Following retirement as an ICBM, the Atlas-E, along with the Atlas-F , was refurbished for orbital launches. The last Atlas E/F spacecraft launch

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4256-712: The Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office to "determine the necessity of an EELV heavy-lift variant, including development of an Atlas V Heavy", and to "resolve the RD-180 issue, including coproduction, stockpile , or U.S. development of an RD-180 replacement." The lifting capability of the Atlas V HLV was to be roughly equivalent to the Delta IV Heavy . The latter utilizes RS-68 engines developed and produced domestically by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne . After December 2006, with

4389-649: The April 2015 announcement of the Vulcan launch vehicle , during the first decade since ULA was formed from Lockheed Martin and Boeing, there were a number of proposals and concept studies of future launch vehicles. None were subsequently funded for full-up development. Two of those concepts were the Atlas V Heavy and the Atlas Phase 2 . The Atlas V Heavy was a ULA concept proposal that would have used three Common Core Booster (CCB) stages strapped together to provide

4522-416: The Atlas V rocket was moved into ULA's Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41, starting preparations for stacking ahead of the launch. In March 2024, the launch was rescheduled from 22 April to early May due to scheduling conflicts on the ISS, with a launch date of 6 May announced in early April. Work on the Starliner spacecraft inside Boeing's production facility was completed on 15 April, and

4655-546: The Atlas as a satellite launcher. Atlas D missile-derived SLV-3s were used for orbital launches with the RM-81 Agena and Centaur upper stages. The modified Atlas LV-3B was used for the orbital element of Project Mercury , launching four crewed Mercury spacecraft into low Earth orbit . Atlas D launches were conducted from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, at Launch Complexes 11, 12, 13 and 14, and Vandenberg AFB Launch Complex 576 . Two suborbital stage and

4788-448: The CFT astronauts spent their first full day aboard the ISS transferring cargo and emergency gear in and out of Starliner. They were helped by ISS crewmates Michael Barratt and Matthew Dominick. Among the items unpacked was a new pump for the station's urine processing facility , which converts urine into drinking water. It was added as a last-minute change to Starliner's cargo manifest after the station's old pump malfunctioned on 29 May. By

4921-452: The CFT crew worked to support a planned spacewalk by astronauts Matt Dominick and Tracy Dyson; they helped the pair during the suit-up process, and, once the spacewalk was canceled, helped them get out of their spacesuits. Later in the day, they took an inventory of the personal consumables they had used up to that point and worked with flight controllers to update their tablets with emergency procedures. On 14 June, after their undocking date

5054-478: The CFT mission, which is only approved to dock on the forward port. Following the completion of ULA's Launch Readiness Review, the Atlas V rocket rolled to its launch pad on 4 May. The first attempt to launch CFT, on 6 May 2024, was scrubbed around T−2 hours before launch due to a chattering oxygen pressure relief valve on the rocket's Centaur upper stage. While this problem had been seen in previous Atlas V flights and could be resolved simply by closing and reopening

5187-653: The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. The first stage of the Atlas III discontinued the use of three engines and 1.5 staging in favor of a single Russian-built Energomash RD-180 engine, while retaining the stage's balloon tank construction. The Atlas III continued to use the Centaur upper stage, available with single or dual RL10 engines. The Atlas V, currently in service, was developed by Lockheed Martin as part of

5320-469: The Dragon spacecraft in which up to three crew members would strap themselves to the floor of the Dragon spacecraft, where cargo is normally stored, which would be covered with foam padding. Starliner's problems and the consequent extension of the astronauts' stay received much media attention. Boeing objected to some reporters' description of the astronauts as being "stuck" in space. After NASA decided to end

5453-412: The ISS from each company. Following the initial guaranteed missions, the companies would compete for launch contracts on an ongoing basis. In November 2015, NASA announced that it had dropped Boeing from consideration in the multibillion-dollar Commercial Resupply Services competition to fly cargo to the International Space Station. The CST-100 (Crew Space Transportation-100) name was first used when

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5586-451: The ISS urine processor assembly malfunctioned, halting the ability to convert the crew's waste back into drinkable water. NASA made the decision to place a replacement pump on the Starliner. To maintain a consistent mass and accommodate the 64-kilogram (141 lb) pump, Wilmore's and Williams' suitcases, containing personal clothes and toiletries, were removed; instead, the CFT crew was to use generic spare clothes and toiletries already aboard

5719-471: The ISS were to experience an emergency. NASA and Boeing initially said Starliner could remain docked to the ISS for up to 45 days, but later said that the performance of its batteries would permit a stay of up to 90 days. On 24 August, NASA announced that the agency had decided it was too risky to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth aboard Starliner, and that the crew would instead return in February 2025 on

5852-436: The ISS, mostly relying on firing the forward-facing thrusters, which experienced no problems during docking. The spacecraft then executed a deorbit burn at a safe distance away from the station. Starliner reentered the atmosphere about six hours after undocking. It deployed three parachutes, slowing the capsule to about 4 miles per hour (350 ft/min; 1.8 m/s). Before reaching the ground, six airbags deployed to cushion

5985-476: The ISS. As the capsule was prepared for re-entry, another software error was discovered; it could have caused a catastrophic collision between the service module and crew capsule. The spacecraft landed at White Sands Missile Range , New Mexico , two days after launch. After its landing, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams named the spacecraft Calypso after the research vessel RV  Calypso used by oceanographic researcher Jacques Cousteau . After

6118-429: The ISS. The second launch attempt, on 1 June, was scrubbed 3 minutes and 50 seconds before liftoff after an automatic hold was triggered when one of three redundant ground launch sequencer computers gave slower-than-normal readings. This was found to have been caused by a faulty power supply unit connected to that computer. On 2 June, a ULA team replaced the computer chassis containing this power supply and verified that

6251-591: The ISS. After more than two months of investigation, NASA decided it was too risky to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth aboard Starliner . Instead, the Boeing spacecraft returned uncrewed on 7 September 2024, and the astronauts will ride down on the SpaceX Crew-9 spacecraft in February 2025. Originally scheduled for launch in 2017, Boe-CFT experienced numerous delays. The spacecraft's two preceding uncrewed orbital flight tests, Boe‐OFT and Boe‐OFT‐2 , were conducted in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Starliner

6384-442: The International Space Station for approximately a week, and conducting additional tests while ground crews reviewed data from the launch and docking. Following a review and approval of this data, the capsule would have undocked and returned to Earth for a landing in the American Southwest about eight days later. However, the capsule's thrusters malfunctioned as Starliner docked with the ISS, and despite months of testing, NASA felt it

6517-532: The OFT-2 uncrewed test flight being scheduled for March 2021 and the crewed flight targeted for a launch the following summer. The launch date of OFT-2 moved again with the earliest estimated launch date set for August 2021. During the August 2021 launch window some issues were detected with 13 propulsion-system valves in the spacecraft prior to launch. The spacecraft had already been mated to its launch rocket, United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V , and taken to

6650-584: The OMAC thrusters. Boeing designed the capsule to make ground landings instead of a splashdown , a first for a crewed capsule mission launched from the United States. After reentering the atmosphere, three parachutes will be deployed, slowing the capsule to approximately 4 miles per hour (350 ft/min; 1.8 m/s). Before reaching the ground, six airbags will deploy to cushion the landing. There are four primary landing locations, including two sites inside

6783-428: The RCS thrusters. This stress testing revealed performance degradation in the thrusters, leading the spacecraft software to consider five of them damaged and unusable, and five separate helium leaks were detected in the service module. The five failed thrusters were all aft-facing, resulting in a loss of six degrees of freedom attitude control until four of them were restored. The astronauts were able to safely dock

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6916-467: The Space Shuttle program drew to a close, NASA sought to foster the development of new spaceflight capabilities. Departing from the traditional model of government-owned and operated spacecraft, NASA proposed a revolutionary approach: companies would own and operate spacecraft, while NASA would act as a customer, purchasing flights as needed. To incentivize innovation, NASA offered funding to support

7049-468: The Starliner development schedule. The uncrewed Boeing Orbital Flight Test (OFT) launched on December 20, 2019, bearing an Anthropomorphic Test Device nicknamed "Rosie the Rocketeer" and clothed in Boeing's blue IVA spacesuit as well as a Plush toy of Jedediah Kerman from Kerbal Space Program . It landed two days later, having nearly ended in catastrophic failure. The mission was ultimately declared

7182-463: The Starliner program, exceeding $ 1.85   billion as of October 2024 . In November 2019, NASA's Office of Inspector General released a report revealing that a change to Boeing's contract had occurred in 2016, stating: "For Boeing's third through sixth crewed missions, we found that NASA agreed to pay an additional $ 287.2 million above Boeing's fixed prices to mitigate a perceived 18-month gap in ISS flights anticipated in 2019 and to ensure

7315-621: The Starliner proposal as stronger, he was hesitant to award a sole-source contract. The multi-year Commercial Crew Program had been designed to foster competition and redundancy, and Gerstenmaier believed that selecting just one company would undermine these goals. Through his efforts, he successfully convinced NASA to delay the CCtCap announcement and secure additional funding to support two competing efforts. On September 16, 2014, NASA announced that both Boeing and SpaceX would be awarded CCtCap contracts to develop crewed spacecraft. Boeing received

7448-436: The Starliner test flight without a crew on board, the company refused to answer questions from journalists, instead opting to release only brief statements. Reporters argued that NASA and Boeing should have been more transparent about the mission. Under Starliner's original plan, the trip home from ISS would have begun with the astronauts closing the hatch and about three hours of further preparation for undocking. Once undocked,

7581-491: The Starliner would require a software update to allow it to fly autonomously. NASA had originally planned for Starliner to undock from the ISS and return to Earth on 14 June, concluding an eight-day stay. The landing was delayed several times by NASA and Boeing to investigate why the helium leaked and the maneuvering thrusters failed. On 28 June, NASA announced that Starliner would not be approved to return until its thruster problems were solved, or at least better understood, or if

7714-548: The US Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The first was launched on August 21, 2002. In 2006, operation was transferred to United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing . Lockheed Martin continued to market the Atlas V to commercial customers until September 2021, when it announced that the rocket will be retired after fulfilling the remaining 29 launch contracts. Atlas V

7847-475: The addition of the Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters. A couple of RCS thrusters used to maneuver Starliner also failed during docking due to low chamber pressure. Some thermal systems used to cool the spacecraft showed extra cold temperatures, requiring engineers to manage it during the docking. On May 22, 2022, the capsule docked with the International Space Station. On May 25, 2022,

7980-478: The airbags used to cushion the capsule's landing. The crew module for the OFT-2 mission began acceptance testing in August 2020, which is designed to validate the spacecraft's systems before it is mated with its service module, according to NASA. On November 10, 2020, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich said that the second orbital flight test would be delayed until first quarter 2021 due to software issues. The uncrewed test continued to slip, with

8113-507: The astronauts aboard was acceptable. Amid the uncertainty, NASA delayed the 18 August launch of its SpaceX Crew-9 mission to 24 September 2024. Since Starliner occupied the required ISS docking port, it had to undock from the ISS before the launch of Crew-9. The agency also considered several return scenarios if Starliner was deemed unsafe to bring Williams and Wilmore home, including launching Crew-9 with two empty seats. However, NASA said that taking such an action would add additional risks as

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8246-525: The astronauts and the engineers at the two companies. While the SpaceX engineers were receptive to feedback, enthusiastic about collaborating, and attentive to suggestions, Hurley found the Boeing engineers to be indifferent, arrogant, and overconfident. He also said the Boeing team failed to inform the astronauts about the propellant leak that occurred during the Pad Abort Test . Ultimately, Hurley told

8379-479: The award of further military launch contracts to vehicles that use Russian-made engines was approved by the US Congress . The bill allows ULA to continue to use the 29 RD-180 engines already on order at the time. In September 2021, ULA announced that Atlas V will be retired after they fulfill their remaining launch contracts, and that all remaining RD-180s for the remaining rockets have been delivered. Prior to

8512-521: The award of the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract in 2014, NASA assigned a team of four experienced astronauts, Bob Behnken , Eric Boe , Doug Hurley and Sunita Williams , to serve as consultants to engineers at both Boeing and SpaceX. These astronauts were also slated to be the test pilots on the inaugural missions. Hurley recounted a stark contrast in the working relationships between

8645-769: The beginnings of its "workhorse" status during the Mercury-Atlas missions, which resulted in Lt. Col. John H. Glenn Jr. becoming the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. Atlas was also used throughout the mid-1960s to launch the Agena Target Vehicles used during the Gemini program . Beginning in 1960, the Agena upper stage , powered by hypergolic propellant , was used extensively on Atlas launch vehicles. The United States Air Force , NRO and CIA used them to launch SIGINT satellites. NASA used them in

8778-401: The cadre of Starliner astronauts, including Barry E. Wilmore, Michael Fincke , and Sunita Williams, would fly on this mission or the first operational Starliner mission. On 16 June 2022, NASA confirmed that this CFT(Crewed Flight Test) mission would be a two-person flight test crewed by Wilmore and Williams; Fincke trained as the backup spacecraft test pilot and remains eligible for assignment to

8911-589: The capability necessary to lift 25 tonne payload to low Earth orbit . ULA stated that approximately 95% of the hardware required for the Atlas HLV had already been flown on the Atlas V single-core vehicles. A 2006 report, prepared by RAND Corporation for the Office of the Secretary of Defense , stated that Lockheed Martin had decided not to develop an Atlas V heavy-lift vehicle (HLV). The report recommended for

9044-399: The capsule and service module, a 5.8 ft (1.78 m) structure called an aeroskirt is integrated into the launch vehicle adapter of Atlas V. The aeroskirt provides aerodynamic stability and dampens the shock waves that come from the front of the rocket. The spacecraft's propulsion system is produced by Aerojet Rocketdyne and consists of 64 engines: The RCS and OMAC thrusters on

9177-514: The capsule returned from space and landed successfully. During reentry one of the navigation systems dropped communication with the GPS satellites, but Steve Stich, program manager for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said this is not unexpected during reentry. The Starliner's crewed flight test was originally planned as the capsule's final test before entering regular service. This test would have involved launching two astronauts into orbit, docking with

9310-500: The capsule to the ISS. Atlas (rocket family) The Atlas name was originally proposed by Karel Bossart and his design team working at Convair on project MX-1593. Using the name of a mighty Titan from Greek mythology reflected the missile's place as the biggest and most powerful at the time. It also reflected the parent company of Convair, the Atlas Corporation . The missiles saw only brief ICBM service, and

9443-589: The capsule was revealed to the public in June 2010. The letters "CST" stand for Crew Space Transportation, while "100" likely refers to the Kármán line , which is generally considered the boundary of space at 100 kilometers (62 mi) above Earth. The design draws upon Boeing's experience with NASA's Apollo, Space Shuttle, and ISS programs, as well as the Orbital Express project. The spacecraft consists of

9576-454: The capsule would have performed a full spiral around the station, flying above, behind, and below the station before firing the thrusters to begin the trip back to the western United States , where the capsule would have landed about six and a half hours later. Instead, when the uncrewed Starliner undocked on 6   September at 22:04   UTC, it executed a simpler, less mechanically stressful posigrade maneuver to back Starliner away from

9709-505: The contractor continued as a second commercial crew provider", and NASA and Boeing committed to six missions instead of the last four being optional. In August 2024, after the setbacks experienced during the Crew Flight Test, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated that Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg committed to continuing the Starliner program. However, financial analysts expressed skepticism that Boeing would continue to invest in

9842-578: The crew's sleep time, flight controllers on the ground detected two more helium leaks in different parts of Starliner's propulsion system. To manage these leaks, flight controllers temporarily closed the two helium manifolds associated with the new leaks, which disabled six of the spacecraft's 28 reaction control system thrusters. The leaks were described as small and the spacecraft still had plenty of helium to complete its mission, so managers gave permission to dock. The helium manifolds were reopened during rendezvous and docking and were subsequently closed once

9975-499: The delays, crew assignments were changed several times after the initial assignments in 2018. Nicole Mann was initially assigned to this mission, which would have made her the first woman to fly on the maiden crewed flight of an orbital spacecraft, but she was subsequently re-assigned to the SpaceX Crew-5 mission, becoming the first female commander of a NASA Commercial Crew Program launch. For medical reasons, Eric Boe , who

10108-527: The development of these new vehicles. However, unlike previous cost-plus contracts , these new contracts would be fixed-price , placing the financial risk of cost overruns on the companies themselves. Boeing has an extensive history of developing vehicles for space exploration, having built the first stage ( S-IC ) of the Saturn V rockets, assembling the Lunar Roving Vehicles , and serving as

10241-473: The early "Block I" GPS satellites . Early Atlas rockets were also built specifically for non-military uses. On 18 December 1958, an Atlas was used to launch the Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment ( SCORE ) satellite, which was "the first prototype of a communications satellite , and the first test of any satellite for direct practical applications." The communications payload

10374-405: The entire service module and anticipated OFT-2 to occur in May 2022. The OFT-2 mission launched on May 19, 2022. It again carried Rosie the Rocketeer test dummy suited in the blue Boeing inflight spacesuit. Two Orbital Maneuvering and Attitude Control (OMAC) thrusters failed during the orbital insertion burn, but the spacecraft was able to compensate using the remaining OMAC thrusters with

10507-411: The first OFT did not achieve its objectives, Boeing officials said on April 6, 2020 that the Starliner crew capsule would fly a second uncrewed demonstration mission, Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2), before flying astronauts. NASA said that it had accepted a recommendation from Boeing to fly a second unpiloted mission. The Washington Post reported that the second orbital flight test, with much

10640-463: The first stage booster of the Atlas V. Formal study contracts were issued in June 2014 to a number of US rocket engine suppliers. In September 2014, ULA announced that it had entered into a partnership with Blue Origin to develop the BE-4 LOX / methane engine to replace the RD-180 on the new Vulcan rocket . The new stage and engine first flew in 2024. In December 2014, legislation to prevent

10773-544: The forward port of the ISS Harmony module on 6 June at 1:34 pm EDT, nearly 27 hours after launch, including an hour-plus delay caused by the thruster problem. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams entered the station at 3:45 pm EDT, joining Expedition 71 crewmembers Jeanette Epps , Matthew Dominick , Tracy C. Dyson , and Michael Barratt of NASA, as well as ISS commander Oleg Kononenko , Nikolai Chub , and Alexander Grebenkin of Roscosmos. On 7 June,

10906-439: The gene sequencing study from the prior week. Meanwhile, Wilmore spent the two days working on a study of the behavior of flowing liquids in space. NASA said that since their arrival on 6 June, Wilmore and Williams had been tasked with completing half of all hands-on research time conducted aboard the ISS, giving their crewmates more time to prepare for the departure of Northrop Grumman's Cygnus NG-20 spacecraft. While Starliner

11039-609: The heat shield of the Starliner, which is designed to be separated from the capsule while under parachute descent at about 5,000 ft (1,500 m) altitude. The airbags, manufactured by ILC Dover, are deployed by filling with a mixture of compressed nitrogen and oxygen gas, not with the pyro-explosive mixture sometimes used in automotive airbags . The tests were carried out in the Mojave Desert of southeast California, at ground speeds between 10 and 30 mph (16 and 48 km/h) in order to simulate crosswind conditions at

11172-408: The incident quiet, even withholding information from the astronauts involved in the project. In October 2018, the first unpiloted orbital mission was delayed to April 2019, and the first crew launch was rescheduled to August 2019. In March 2019, Reuters reported that these test flights had been delayed by at least three months, and in April 2019 Boeing announced that the unpiloted orbital mission

11305-543: The inventory of the Human Research Facility , and Williams working on procedures to collect microbe samples and sequence their genes. They also participated in an event with Tennessee Tech , Wilmore's home university. On 12 June, Wilmore checked cargo in the Harmony module and worked on maintenance of the station's bathroom, while Williams continued her gene sequencing work from the day before. On 13 June,

11438-460: The landing. It landed at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on 7   September at 04:01:35   UTC (6   September, 10:01:35   pm   MDT , local time at the landing site). All potential landing sites were in the western United States, allowing the service module to be jettisoned for a destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean. During the reentry, Starliner experienced two technical problems unrelated to its earlier issues:

11571-556: The last squadron was taken off operational alert in 1965. However, from 1962 to 1963 Atlas boosters launched the first four US astronauts to orbit the Earth (in contrast to the preceding two Redstone suborbital launches). The Atlas-Agena and Atlas-Centaur satellite launch vehicles were also derived directly from the original Atlas. The Atlas-Centaur was evolved into the Atlas II , various models of which were launched 63 times between 1991 and 2004. There were only six launches of

11704-423: The launch further to allow the teams to assess the situation. On 24 May, following several days of analysis, NASA and Boeing announced plans to launch CFT on 1 June without repairing the helium leak, determining that the spacecraft was safe to fly even if the leak rate worsened by many times. This review also uncovered a "design vulnerability" in the propulsion system that could prevent the spacecraft from completing

11837-513: The launchpad. Attempts to fix the problem while on the launchpad failed, and the rocket was returned to the ULA's VIF (Vertical Integration Facility). Attempts to fix the problem at the VIF also failed, and Boeing decided to return the spacecraft to the factory, thus cancelling the launch at that launch window. There was a commercial dispute between Boeing and Aerojet Rocketdyne over responsibility for fixing

11970-583: The living conditions on Starliner with a crew of four inside. On 9 June, the CFT crew continued performing checks on Starliner as part of their flight test objectives. The spacecraft was then switched to a low power mode, in which it was intended to stay until undocking preparations at the end of the mission. On 10 June, with all their initial Starliner testing completed, the CFT crew started working on general ISS maintenance and research activities. They started their day by measuring their temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate. Later, Wilmore worked on

12103-602: The maintenance of a computer connected to the Microgravity Science Glovebox , while Williams installed hardware to support a space fire investigation. They also participated in a number of public-relations events where they talked to people on Earth, including a call to Sunita L. Williams Elementary School, located in Williams' hometown of Needham, Massachusetts . On 11 June, the astronauts spent their time on biomedical activities, with Wilmore organizing

12236-496: The mass of the spacecraft, address aerodynamics issues anticipated during launch and ascent on the Atlas ;V rocket, and meet new NASA-imposed software requirements. The Orbital Flight Test was scheduled for spring 2019. The booster for this Orbital Flight Test, an Atlas V N22 rocket, was assembled at United Launch Alliance 's (ULA) facility at Decatur, Alabama by the end of 2017. The first crewed flight ( Boe-CFT )

12369-529: The merger of Boeing and Lockheed-Martin space operations into United Launch Alliance , the Atlas V program gained access to the tooling and processes for 5.4 m diameter stages used on Delta IV . A 5.4 m diameter stage could have conceivably accepted dual RD-180 engines. The resulting conceptual heavy-lift vehicle was called "Atlas Phase 2" or "PH2" in the 2009 Augustine Report . An Atlas V PH2-Heavy (three 5 m stages in parallel; six RD-180s) along with Shuttle-derived , Ares V and Ares V Lite, were considered as

12502-430: The mission, Boeing vice president John Mulholland acknowledged that the company had not conducted integrated end-to-end tests for the entire mission, but had instead performed tests of smaller segments. This approach contributed to the software errors that led to the near-catastrophic failures during the flight test. Mulholland insisted that Boeing cut no corners, and that end-to-end tests were not omitted to save money. NASA

12635-456: The new hardware was performing normally. CFT lifted off on the Atlas V rocket on its third launch attempt, on 5 June at 10:52 am EDT. The mission was launched from ULA's SLC-41 launch site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and was Atlas V's 100th flight. The rocket flew in the N22 configuration, with no payload fairing, two AJ-60A solid rocket boosters, and two RL10 A-4-2 engines on

12768-453: The next day, the new pump was already installed and operating properly. On 8 June, the crew tested the ability of the Starliner vehicle to act as a "safe haven" in the event of an emergency at the ISS, which includes sheltering the crew for an extended time or quickly departing the station if needed. This is a requirement for any crewed vehicle that visits the ISS. The CFT astronauts were also joined by Matthew Dominick and Tracy C. Dyson to test

12901-713: The prime contractor for the US Orbital Segment of the ISS since 1993. With its proven track record and deep expertise, Boeing was seen as well-positioned to compete for the commercial spaceflight contracts. In 2010, Boeing unveiled its entry into NASA's Commercial Crew Program competition: the CST-100. The company received initial funding of $ 18 million in the first round of the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev 1) program to support Starliner's development. Additionally, United Launch Alliance,

13034-462: The problem. The valves had been corroded by intrusion of moisture, which interacted with the propellant, but the source of the moisture was not apparent. By late September 2021, Boeing had not determined the root cause of the problem, and the flight was delayed indefinitely. Through October 2021, NASA and Boeing continued to make progress and were "working toward launch opportunities in the first half of 2022", In December 2021, Boeing decided to replace

13167-435: The propellant system left four of eight valves open, leading to the release of over 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) of toxic monomethylhydrazine propellant, resulting in a fireball that engulfed the equipment. The incident was reportedly exacerbated by animosity with the propulsion system subcontractor, Aerojet Rocketdyne, who Boeing refused to pay for design changes. While it informed NASA of the incident, Boeing attempted to keep

13300-402: The propulsion system prior to docking with ISS. The mission was extended several times to allow for analysis, and NASA eventually decided to leave the crew aboard ISS and return Starliner to Earth without the crew after three months in space. The crew will return on a different spacecraft. Boe-CFT was the first launch of a crewed spacecraft by an Atlas V launch vehicle. It was the first launch of

13433-427: The remainder of the mission. This test also enabled engineers to measure the helium leaks in the spacecraft, and all five leak rates were found to have decreased. The cause of the helium and thruster problems remained unknown. NASA managers speculated that the intense "dynamic operations" during the docking sequence could have contributed to the problems. In July, a joint NASA-Boeing team began conducting ground tests at

13566-448: The rocket. Subsequently, a helium leak in the service module further delayed the mission. Another attempt on June 1 was scrubbed due to a ground computer hardware fault. Starliner successfully launched on June 5 at 14:52 UTC (10:52   am EDT). Once in orbit and on approach to the ISS during this flight test, both the automated systems and astronauts taking manual control during the docking sequence were instructed to repeatedly fire

13699-447: The same objectives as the first, was expected to launch from Cape Canaveral "sometime in October or November 2020". Boeing said that it would fund the unplanned crew capsule test flight "at no cost to the taxpayer". Boeing told investors earlier in 2020 that it was taking a US$ 410 million charge against its earnings to cover the expected costs of a second unpiloted test flight. Boeing officials said on August 25, 2020 that they set

13832-488: The seals might not be the root cause. After those results, at a meeting of key NASA engineers called the Program Control Board, Ken Bowersox said, "We heard from a lot of folks that had concerns." The meeting ended with no agreement that Wilmore and Williams should return to Earth on Starliner. Boeing, for its part, expressed confidence in Starliner and the belief that returning the spacecraft to Earth with

13965-476: The second uncrewed test flight attempt, was scrubbed in 2021 by valve problems. It finally flew in 2022 and met all flight objectives. In August 2023, Boeing announced that the third flight—the first crewed one—would be delayed at least to March 2024 due to weakness in certain joints within the parachute system and potentially combustible materials in the wiring harnesses. Boeing underwent multiple investigations before another flight test would be permitted. Boe-CFT

14098-416: The service module are grouped into four "doghouses" equally spaced around the perimeter of the service module, each containing five OMAC thrusters (three aft-facing and two forward-facing ), and seven RCS thrusters: two aft-facing, two forward-facing, and one each in the radial and two tangential directions. The latter three are in a plane which is very close to the spacecraft's center of mass. To translate

14231-412: The spacecraft did not have the full six degrees of freedom in attitude and translation control. Mission teams managed to bring back four of the thrusters by doing a series of resets and hot-fire tests on them, during which the crew manually held the spacecraft just outside the station's 200-meter keep-out zone. After verifying that the thrusters were operating normally, Starliner was permitted to dock with

14364-495: The spacecraft docked, as is standard procedure. A fourth leak, smaller than the other three, was detected after docking. NASA and Boeing's managers acknowledged that this appeared to be a systemic problem with the propulsion system, contrary to their expectations before the mission that the first helium leak was an isolated problem caused by one defective seal. As Starliner approached the ISS, five of its eight aft-facing reaction control system thrusters unexpectedly ceased to work, and

14497-548: The spacecraft was moved to the launch pad and stacked on top the Atlas V rocket the following day. The crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on 25 April, and on the same day the mission concluded its Flight Test Readiness Review, officially approving the mission to proceed. On 2 May, the SpaceX Crew-8 Dragon spacecraft moved from the forward port of the ISS Harmony module to the zenith port, to make room for

14630-471: The spacecraft's parachute system and a flammability concern on the spacecraft's wiring, CFT was delayed to no earlier than March 2024. In November 2023, NASA announced that the mission was on track for an April 2024 launch, with most of the flammable material removed from the spacecraft and a drop-test of the redesigned parachute system planned for January 2024. This test was successful, allowing NASA and Boeing to proceed into launch preparations. In February 2024,

14763-507: The spacecraft, thrusters are used in balanced pairs so that the center of force goes through the spacecraft's center of mass. To rotate the spacecraft, thrusters are used in unbalanced pairs so there is no net force and the net torque is centered within the spacecraft. The RCS thrusters are used for rotation (attitude control) and very fine docking maneuvers, while the OMAC thrusters are used for significant orbital adjustments. The RCS thrusters are also used to compensate for slight imbalances in

14896-416: The stage for the first Starliner demonstration mission with astronauts in mid-2021. Boeing modified the design of the Starliner docking system prior to OFT-2 to add a re-entry cover for additional protection during the capsule's fiery descent through the atmosphere. This re-entry cover is hinged, like the SpaceX design. Teams also installed the OFT-2 spacecraft's propellant heater, thermal-protection tiles, and

15029-408: The station. A similar problem occurred during the uncrewed OFT‐2 mission in 2022: thrusters in the same location in the spacecraft were deactivated during the approach. Mission managers believed the failure of the thrusters could be related to input data being outside some predetermined limits rather than being a software or hardware problem, although the exact cause is unknown. Starliner docked with

15162-612: The succeeding Atlas III , all between 2000 and 2005. The Atlas V is still in service, with launches planned into the mid 2020s. More than 300 Atlas launches have been conducted from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and 285 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Atlas was used as an expendable launch system , with both the Agena and Centaur upper stages, for the Mariner space probes used to explore Mercury , Venus , and Mars (1962–1973); and to launch ten of

15295-431: The sun, manually using the star tracker , manually braking and accelerating the spacecraft to perform orbital maneuvers, and manually orienting the spacecraft for reentry. Although the Starliner spacecraft is designed to operate autonomously and these capabilities are not required in a nominal mission, these tests showed that the crew can take over many functions of the craft during an emergency. Late on 5 June, just before

15428-506: The team was able to replicate the thrust degradation that caused the thrusters to fail. When the test thruster was disassembled, the team found that a Teflon seal had been deformed. A buildup of heat appears to have caused Teflon seals in the thruster to bulge and constrict the flow of propellant. However, when the tests were replicated on the Starliner in orbit, the same problem was not seen, and even thrusters which had previously lost significant thrust performed close to normal, suggesting that

15561-528: The time of landing. Bigelow Aerospace built the mobile test rig and conducted the tests. In April 2012, Boeing dropped a mock-up of its Starliner over the Nevada desert at the Delamar Dry Lake , Nevada , successfully testing the craft's three main landing parachutes from 11,200 ft (3,400 m). Boeing reported in May 2016 that its test schedule would slip by eight months in order to reduce

15694-456: The valve, flight rules prohibited doing so with crew on board, which forced the decision to scrub the launch. The next day, the launch team determined that the valve had opened so many times it would need to be replaced, delaying the launch to 17 May as the rocket had to be rolled back to its Vertical Integration Facility. Meanwhile, in an unrelated problem, NASA and Boeing discovered a small helium leak on Starliner's propulsion system, which delayed

15827-404: The way for the pad abort test and the subsequent uncrewed and crewed flights. A pad abort test took place on November 4, 2019. The capsule accelerated away from its pad, but then one of the three parachutes failed to deploy, and the capsule landed with only two parachutes. Landing was, however, deemed safe, and the test a success. Boeing did not expect the malfunction of one parachute to affect

15960-399: Was also faulted for not pressing Boeing to conduct an end-to-end test. The subsequent NASA–Boeing investigation into the flight made scores of recommendations for Boeing and NASA. Boeing declared these to be proprietary, so the only ones publicly known are the ones that officials deliberately disclosed. In 2020, company officials said they were addressing 80 of the recommendations. Because

16093-457: Was conducted on 24 March 1995, using a rocket which had originally been built as an Atlas-E. The last Atlas E/F launch to use a rocket which had originally been built as an Atlas-F was conducted on 23 June 1981. Atlas E/F was used to launch the Block I series of GPS satellites from 1978 to 1985. The last refurbished Atlas-F vehicle was launched from Vandenberg AFB in 1995 carrying a satellite for

16226-532: Was deemed a partial failure, leading to a second Orbital Flight Test in May 2022. During the Crew Flight Test , launched in June 2024, the Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned on approach to the ISS and NASA concluded that it was too risky to return its astronauts to Earth aboard the spacecraft, which landed uncrewed in September 2024. Starliner costs more per flight than Crew Dragon, drawing criticism from NASA's inspector general and other observers. As

16359-419: Was docked to the ISS, NASA and Boeing teams continued to assess the spacecraft's performance, especially relating to the helium leaks and RCS thruster problems. NASA delayed the end of the mission several times to continue testing the spacecraft in space; because the service module is discarded on reentry, NASA and Boeing would not have another opportunity to collect data from it. On a 10 June update, NASA reported

16492-442: Was not able to understand why the thrusters malfunctioned and decided that it was too risky to return its astronauts to Earth aboard Starliner, so it returned uncrewed. Originally planned for 2017, the launch faced numerous delays, including issues with the parachute harness and flammable tape on wiring. These delays pushed the launch back to mid-2024. A launch attempt on May 6, 2024, was scrubbed due to an oxygen valve problem on

16625-450: Was originally assigned to the mission in August 2018 as the pilot, was replaced by Michael Fincke on 22 January 2019. Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson was originally assigned to the flight as commander, but he was replaced by NASA astronaut Barry E. Wilmore on 7 October 2020. Ferguson cited family reasons for the replacement. Matthew Dominick replaced him on the backup crew. On 18 April 2022, NASA said that it had not finalized which of

16758-446: Was placed atop the Atlas V launch vehicle on April 16, 2024, but the mission's launch was repeatedly postponed by technical problems. An oxygen valve problem on United Launch Alliance 's (ULA) Atlas V rocket scrubbed the first launch attempt on 7 May. A second launch attempt on 1 June was scrubbed when a ground computer failed. Subsequent delays were caused by helium leaks in the Starliner's service module; helium leaks would continue to be

16891-458: Was placed in a sub-orbital trajectory by the rocket and used its own thrusters to enter orbit about 31 minutes after launch. Note: times are local to the launch site ( Eastern Daylight Time ). In the hours after getting into orbit, the crew performed several manual maneuvering exercises, including pointing the antenna towards the TDRSS communications satellites, pointing the solar panels towards

17024-407: Was placed into low Earth orbit on Atlas serial number 10B without an upper stage. Atlas 10B/SCORE, at 8,750 lb (3,970 kg) was the heaviest artificial object then in orbit, the first voice relay satellite, and the first human-made object in space easily visible to the naked eye due to the large, mirror-polished stainless steel tank. This was the first flight in what would be a long career for

17157-511: Was pressure in the tanks that gave the rigidity required for space flight. In order to save weight they were not painted and needed a specially designed oil to prevent rust. This was the original use of WD-40 water displacement oil. The SM-65 Atlas was used as a first stage for satellite launch vehicles for half a century. Many were eventually converted to orbital launch vehicles after they were removed from service as missiles. Missiles converted into Atlas E/F "space boosters" were used to launch

17290-548: Was pushed back to 22 June, the CFT astronauts had a call with Boeing mission managers to discuss the end of the mission and then entered Starliner to review the spacecraft's flight operations and procedures. On the weekend of 15 and 16 June, they performed tasks related to their CFT mission and assisted the ISS crew. On 17 June, Williams worked on maintenance tasks and prepared the Advanced Plant Habitat for future experiments, and on 18 June she continued working on

17423-516: Was scheduled for August 2019. In May 2019, all major hot-fire testing, including simulations of low-altitude abort-thruster testing, was completed using a full up-to-service module test article that was "flight-like," meaning that the service module test rig used in the hot-fire testing included fuel and helium tanks, reaction control system, orbital maneuvering, and attitude-control thrusters, launch abort engines and all necessary fuel lines and avionics that will be used for crewed missions. This cleared

17556-410: Was scheduled for summer 2019, pending test results from Boe-OFT . It was planned to last 14 days and carry one NASA astronaut and one Boeing test pilot to the ISS. On April 5, 2018, NASA announced that the first planned two-person flight, originally slated for November 2018, was likely to occur in 2019 or 2020. A serious incident occurred during a hot-fire test in June 2018. A design flaw in

17689-499: Was tested on the OFT-2 mission. By contrast, the reusable SpaceX Dragon 2 nosecone is hinged and protects its docking port during both launch and reentry. The capsule uses the Boeing Lightweight Ablator for its re-entry heat shield . Solar cells provided by Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab are installed onto the aft face of the service module, providing 2.9 kW of electricity. In addition to

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