The Starlineer capsule of Boeing will remain ground-bound for some time yet.
Last June, Starlineer launched its first crew flight, which sent NASA astronauts Buch Wilmor and Sun. Williams to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) to live in a week.
However, the timeline soon changed, as Starlineer faced some issues on the way to the orbiting lab – that is, Helium leaked in its propulsion system and its 28 reaction control system (RCS) failure of five of the three -failure, which is necessary for necessary adjustments during Starlineer Docking.
NASA asked the staller’s ISS to stay several times several times that the problems were studied before deciding to bring the spacecraft back to Earth, which took place in early September. Wilmore and Williams, meanwhile, retreated to become ISS Cumberries for a long time, by 18 March, when they returned to Earth with SpaceX’s crew -9 astronauts.
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NASA and Boeing have made great progress in their analysis of data from Starlineer’s first crew flight. For example, the mission team succeeded in bringing four of the five unsuccessful RCS thrusters online, while Starlineer was in orbit. And he later tied the issue to overheat the engine pods of the capsules, which possibly restrict the propalent flow.
However, the technicians are still working on the fixes for the thruster and helium-leak issues and possibly continue to do so for several more months, NASA officials said in an update on Thursday (March 27).
The work will include the Test-firing of Starlineer RCS thrusters in NASA’s White Sands Test feature in New Mexico, to validate the detailed thermal model and indicate possible propulsion and spacecraft thermal protection system upgrade as well as operating solutions for future flights, “NASA officials have written in one. Update on Thursday afternoon (March 27).
Teams continue to test new seal options for the helium system, in an attempt to reduce the risk of moving forward in an attempt to reduce the risks of leaks.
Steve Stitch, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, said in Thursday’s statement, “Once we get through these planned testing campaigns, we will have a better idea when we can fly in the next Boeing flight,” Stew Stitch said the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
He said, “We will continue working through certification later this year and then find out that Starlineer fits the best into the schedule for the International Space Station and its crew and the cargo mission,” he said. “This is likely to be in time for the next Starlineer flight at the end of this calendar year or early next year.”
“Certification” has asked Starlineer to give green lights that they have long -term, on contracted missions and to fly from ISS for ISS. But the agency still does not know whether the next flight for the Boeing Capsule will be crucified.
NASA officials wrote in Thursday’s statement, “The Mission Manager is planning for a later certification mission for a crew for the next Starlineer flight, and NASA also has the ability to fly only cargo based on the agency’s needs.”
A commercial crew also holds a contract with NASA Spacex. Elon Musk’s company launched its 10th Operational Astronaut Mission for Orbiting Lab on 14 March under the deal.
