Boeing's Starliner

[tater]

10 minutes ago, Scotius said:

Good job, Boeing! Another attempt, another failure.

I bet astronauts assigned to the crew feel better and better.

They’re being appropriately careful.

 

[Minmus Taster]

12 hours ago, tater said:

They’re being appropriately careful.

 

The Starliner has so many issues with it's software it's pathetic

[kerbiloid]

The yesterday 1.12.2 patch may fix them.

[mikegarrison]

51 minutes ago, Minmus Taster said:

The Starliner has so many issues with it's software it's pathetic

Software has already been investigated and ruled out as a cause of these "unexpected valve position indications".
 

Quote

 

Following Tuesday’s scrubbed launch of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, Boeing is working to understand the source of the unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system. The issues were first detected during checkouts after electrical storms passed over Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday.

Engineering teams have now cycled the Service Module propulsion system valves with the Starliner and Atlas V on the launch pad and have ruled out a number of potential causes, including software. Additional time is needed to complete the assessment and, as a result, NASA and Boeing are not proceeding with Wednesday's launch opportunity.

 

While that reference to electrical storms may mean nothing, possibly they are thinking something was fried? That would be interesting if true, because the only reason it was sitting out there is because of the station problems with the new module. IF this is true, it would be an interesting case of cascading problems. But that's reading a lot into what might be nothing.

[tater]

http://parabolicarc.com/2021/08/04/next-boeing-starliner-launch-could-be-weeks-to-months-away/
 

(don’t know how to add a quote in from my phone—we’re in CO on vacation)

“The launch was scrubbed after engineers received what Boeing said “unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system” of the spacecraft. The signals came from more than half of the 24 propulsion valves in Starliner’s service module, according to the source, who insisted upon anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to media.”

[sevenperforce]

7 minutes ago, tater said:

http://parabolicarc.com/2021/08/04/next-boeing-starliner-launch-could-be-weeks-to-months-away/
 

(don’t know how to add a quote in from my phone—we’re in CO on vacation)

“The launch was scrubbed after engineers received what Boeing said “unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system” of the spacecraft. The signals came from more than half of the 24 propulsion valves in Starliner’s service module, according to the source, who insisted upon anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to media.”

Oh good grief

[tater]

23 minutes ago, sevenperforce said:

Oh good grief

That said the current date is NET 8/8. Waiting for more info.

Part of any months out timing would more than likely not be related to fixes, but scheduling. ISS becomes the limiting factor.

[Scotius]

36 minutes ago, tater said:

http://parabolicarc.com/2021/08/04/next-boeing-starliner-launch-could-be-weeks-to-months-away/
 

(don’t know how to add a quote in from my phone—we’re in CO on vacation)

“The launch was scrubbed after engineers received what Boeing said “unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system” of the spacecraft. The signals came from more than half of the 24 propulsion valves in Starliner’s service module, according to the source, who insisted upon anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to media.”

More than HALF of the valves? Even if that was a false signal from sensors... dang.

This thing is a deathtrap.

[kerbiloid]

They should also check the sensors position, to ensure they are not overturned. The precedents have taken place...

P.S.
And wind the clock, as originally they did it two weeks ago.

P.S.2.
I hope, the countries with left-side road traffic, still have the clockwise screws?

I mean, maybe some guest star had turned them in opposite direction.

[tater]

9 minutes ago, Scotius said:

More than HALF of the valves? Even if that was a false signal from sensors... dang.

This thing is a deathtrap.

That is reporting from one source, take it with a pail of salt.

We will have better information as time passes.

[Beccab]

With how busy the ISS will be soon and the incoming Lucy launch that has to use that pad, the last plausible date would be august 20. After that they would have to wait for months, and NASA is unlikely to delay Crew-3 after it was already delayed once

[tater]

LUCY is Oct 16.

Crew-3 is Oct 31.

CRS-23 is later this month.

STP-3 is supposed to be early Sept, maybe that can wait since it’s ULA?

[Beccab]

1 hour ago, tater said:

STP-3 is supposed to be early Sept, maybe that can wait since it’s ULA?

If they start delaying other stuff then other windows open, but it all depends on what NASA/customers are willing to accept

[Shpaget]

When would it be appropriate for NASA to ask for a refund?

Asking for a friend.

[RCgothic]

NASA don't have to pay out for milestones not delivered under fixed price contracts.

[tater]

7 hours ago, tater said:

STP-3 is supposed to be early Sept, maybe that can wait since it’s ULA?

I meant to say because it is Space Force, and maybe not as time critical.

[tater]

The last shot at a Starliner launch for a while is a week from Saturday (8/14).

If it goes past that, ISS scheduling comes into play, and it moves out some weeks/months.

Might have a little slop after that (like if they have some days in a row of ISS passes over KSC), but unlikely much before that.

[tater]

 

[Beccab]

1 minute ago, tater said:

 

Boeing gone wild

[Meecrob]

On 8/5/2021 at 10:16 AM, Scotius said:

More than HALF of the valves? Even if that was a false signal from sensors... dang.

This thing is a deathtrap.

Every vehicle is a deathtrap. As long as a human is going faster than walking speed and higher than they can jump, they WILL die if something screws up. So I can agree that this vehicle is not as developed as others at this point in time...but that's exactly what development is for. As much as everyone here wants to crap on Boeing, and as much as it seems the company has gone to the beancounters in Chicago...Its still Boeing.  Did they try to push a crewed flight? no. Did they push for an earlier slot on the ISS? No. Does their vehicle need a shakedown test? Of course yes! but people here talk like Boeing is some newbie....they have bureaucracy  and red tape, for sure, but they still attract the best engineers in the world. Starliner isn't some Tonka toy. When it flies properly, we will all be singing its praises.

 

 

Edit: I say this as a SpaceX fanboy

Edited August 7, 2021 by Meecrob

[kerbiloid]

8 hours ago, Beccab said:

Boeing gone wild

Not exactly Boeing.

CST-100  was awaiting for a free parking place at the ISS.
It watched the Nauka docking in youtube and said "Don't I have the engines, too? Challenge accepted! Born to be wild!"

They should hope the docked ones won't join the flashmob.

[Beccab]

CRS-23 launches on the 28, so I doubt NASA would want to squeeze Starliner so close to it (19 and  20 launch dates) in case there's issues to solve. 15 and 16, if Starliner is ready by then, would be the most likely launch dates imo

[Shpaget]

14 hours ago, Meecrob said:

Does their vehicle need a shakedown test?

Uh, this situation comes after the shakedown test, following the previous malfunction that should have been caught before launch.

Boing dropped the ball, was given another chance and as much time as needed to fix the issues and still managed to screw up again. There is something rotten there, and not just in space department.

[Nothalogh]

1 hour ago, Shpaget said:

Uh, this situation comes after the shakedown test, following the previous malfunction that should have been caught before launch.

Boing dropped the ball, was given another chance and as much time as needed to fix the issues and still managed to screw up again. There is something rotten there, and not just in space department.

Remember, Boeing has an upper-middle management culture that is absolutely foul, and inherited from McDonnel Douglas.

To them, this was all supposed to be an endless development cycle, where they would be eternally "almost there", if only NASA would give them just one more bag of cash.

[reducing]

Does this version have the ability to go to the moon and then re-enter? Or is this Starliner just a test of the overall design? I was searching for the information but couldn't find a good answer.