If the capsule reaches the International Space Station on Friday and all goes well, two or three NASA test pilots could buckle up by the end of this year. (Photo: 123RF)
Cape Canaveral — The Boeing Company crew capsule soared into orbit Thursday on a repeat test flight without astronauts, after years on the ground with flaws that could have doomed the spacecraft.
Only a test dummy was on board. If the capsule reaches the International Space Station on Friday and all goes well, two or three NASA test pilots could buckle up by the end of this year or early next year for the first flight. in company crew.
This is Boeing’s third attempt for the high-stakes flight demonstration. At least this time, the Starliner craft made it to the correct orbit, and quickly targeted the space station despite a pair of thrusters failing. The all-important rendezvous and mooring looms on the horizon.
“It’s another great day for us,” said Boeing Vice President and Commercial Crew Program Manager Mark Nappi. We may have a few sleepless nights ahead of us to complete the rest of the mission, but today feels really good.”
The Starliner spacecraft’s first test flight in 2019 experienced software errors so severe that the capsule ended up in the wrong orbit and had to skip the space station. The spacecraft was nearly destroyed, as ground controllers quickly aborted the mission.
After dozens of security fixes, Boeing returned a different capsule to the launch pad last summer. Damaged valves interrupted the countdown, prompting another round of repairs.
The endless test flight program cost Boeing about US$600 million.
“We are not going to fly (crews) unless we feel we have reduced the risk,” said Kathy Lueders, NASA chief of space operations.
Boeing is looking to redeem itself as it tries to catch up with SpaceX, NASA’s other contracted space transportation service. This company founded by Elon Musk has transported astronauts to and from the space station for two years and delivered goods for an entire decade.
Eager to reduce its costly reliance on Russia for crew transportation, NASA contracted Boeing and SpaceX to send astronauts to the space station after the shuttle program ended in 2011. why it’s so important that Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft succeed, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.
“In that case, we still want to have an alternative,” Nelson told The Associated Press hours before takeoff.
Different in appearance, but similar in function to SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, Boeing’s fully automated capsule will attempt to dock with the space station on its own. Station astronauts will be ready to fly the capsule by remote control, if necessary.
The capsule still has ten good thrusters for major movements, including exiting orbit at the end of the flight, officials said. The malfunctioning thrusters actually fired briefly before shutting down prematurely one after the other; a back-up system was triggered to place the spacecraft in the correct orbit.
“We’re doing this one step at a time, and now we have to put this spacecraft through its paces and learn some things,” Lueders told reporters after liftoff.
The Starliner spacecraft will spend about five days on the space station before aiming for a landing in the New Mexico desert next Wednesday.
NASA has not yet finalized which astronauts will be part of Starliner’s first crew. The program is so behind schedule that the first three astronauts have pulled out. The leading contenders gathered at Cape Canaveral for the evening launch of Starliner aboard United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket.
“We’re thrilled because the next one is us,” said astronaut Butch Wilmore.
The capsule is carrying supplies and spacewalking equipment for the station’s seven residents. US spacewalks have been suspended since an astronaut’s helmet took on water in March. NASA is sending extra absorbent pads for use in the helmets, in case an emergency spacewalk is needed while the investigation continues.
Boeing is also carrying memorabilia from historically black colleges and universities, as well as tree seeds similar to the ones Apollo astronauts took to the moon that became lunar trees here on Earth.