The Latest Update on Starliner...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Modify Commercial Crew Contract (News Release)

In 2014, NASA awarded a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract to Boeing to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station with its Starliner spacecraft. As part of its contract, Boeing was awarded up to six crewed flights to the orbital complex.

After a thorough evaluation, NASA and Boeing have mutually agreed to modify the contract. As part of the modification, the definitive order has been adjusted to four missions, with the remaining two available as options. The next Starliner flight, known as Starliner-1, will be used by NASA to deliver necessary cargo to the orbital laboratory and allow in-flight validation of the system upgrades implemented following the Crew Flight Test mission last year.

NASA and Boeing are targeting no earlier than April 2026 to fly the uncrewed Starliner-1 pending completion of rigorous test, certification, and mission readiness activities. Following Starliner certification, and a successful Starliner-1 mission, Starliner will fly up to three crew rotations to the International Space Station.

“NASA and Boeing are continuing to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “This modification allows NASA and Boeing to focus on safely certifying the system in 2026, execute Starliner’s first crew rotation when ready, and align our ongoing flight planning for future Starliner missions based on station’s operational needs through 2030.”

Certification of Boeing’s Starliner remains important to NASA’s goal of sustained human presence in low-Earth orbit, and dissimilar redundancy is essential to supporting the agency’s goals and international obligations.

Source: NASA.Gov

Meeting the Next Crew Dragon Astronauts to Fly to the ISS...

NASA

NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-11 Assignments for Space Station Mission (News Release)

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov will join crew members aboard the space station no earlier than July 2025.

The flight is the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions to the Moon, as well as benefit people on Earth.

Cardman was previously assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, and Fincke was previously assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA decided to reassign the astronauts to Crew-11 in overall support of planned activities aboard the International Space Station. Cardman carries her experience training as a commander on Dragon spacecraft, and Fincke brings long-duration spaceflight experience to this crew complement.

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, Cardman will conduct her first spaceflight. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the time of selection, she had begun pursuing a doctorate in Geosciences.

Cardman’s research in geobiology and geochemical cycling focused on subsurface environments, from caves to deep-sea sediments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning.

This will be Fincke’s fourth trip to the space station, having logged 382 days in space and nine spacewalks during Expedition 9 in 2004, Expedition 18 in 2008, and STS-134 in 2011, the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour. Throughout the past decade, Fincke has applied his expertise to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, advancing the development and testing of the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner toward operational certification. The Emsworth, Pennsylvania, native is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and holds bachelors’ degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, in both Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.

Fincke also has a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in California. He is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

With 142 days in space, this will be Yui’s second trip to the space station. After his selection as a JAXA astronaut in 2009, Yui flew as a flight engineer for Expedition 44/45 and became the first Japanese astronaut to capture JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle. In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, he conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA.

In November 2016, Yui was assigned as chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group. He graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He later joined the Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently Ministry of Defense).

In 2008, Yui joined the Air Staff Office at the Ministry of Defense as a lieutenant colonel.

The Crew-11 mission will be Platonov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, Platonov earned a degree in Engineering from Krasnodar Air Force Academy in Aircraft Operations and Air Traffic Management. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in State and Municipal Management in 2016 from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia.

Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2021, Platonov has experience in piloting aircraft, zero gravity training, scuba diving and wilderness survival.

For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low-Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low-Earth orbit economy, NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon, where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

Butch and Suni's Mission on Boeing's Crew Flight Test Is Finally Over...

NASA / Keegan Barber

Welcome Home! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Back on Earth After Science Mission (News Release)

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 completed the agency’s ninth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday, splashing down safely in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.

NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew. After returning to shore, the crew will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and reunite with their families.

Hague and Gorbunov lifted off at 1:17 p.m. on September 28, 2024, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The next day, they docked to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.

Butch and Suni arrived at the space station on June 6. In August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams as part of the space station’s Expedition 71/72 for a return on Crew-9. The crew of four undocked at 1:05 a.m. on Tuesday to begin the trip home.

Wilmore and Williams traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth. Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth.

The Crew-9 mission was the first spaceflight for Gorbunov. Hague has logged 374 days in space over his two missions, Williams has logged 608 days in space over her three flights, and Wilmore has logged 464 days in space over his three flights.

Throughout its mission, Crew-9 contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations. Williams conducted two spacewalks, joined by Wilmore for one and Hague for another, removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting samples from the station’s external surface for analysis, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more. Williams now holds the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut, with 62 hours and 6 minutes outside of station, and is fourth on the all-time spacewalk duration list.

The American crew members conducted more than 150 unique scientific experiments and technology demonstrations between them, with over 900 hours of research. This research included investigations on plant growth and quality, as well as the potential of stem cell technology to address blood diseases, autoimmune disorders and cancers. They also tested lighting systems to help astronauts maintain circadian rhythms, loaded the first wooden satellite for deployment, and took samples from the space station’s exterior to study whether microorganisms can survive in space.

The Crew-9 mission was the fourth flight of the Dragon spacecraft named Freedom. It also previously supported NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4, Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3. The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and begin processing for its next flight.

The Crew-9 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and its return to Earth follows on the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 launch, which docked to the station on March 16, beginning another long-duration science expedition.

The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low-Earth orbit. The program provides additional research time and has increased opportunities for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed for exploration, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Keegan Barber

Calypso Returns Home, Completing an Incomplete Crew Flight Test to the ISS...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Welcome Starliner Spacecraft to Earth, Close Mission (News Release)

NASA and Boeing safely returned the uncrewed Starliner spacecraft following its landing at 10:01 p.m. MDT on September 6 at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, concluding a three-month flight test to the International Space Station.

“I am extremely proud of the work our collective team put into this entire flight test, and we are pleased to see Starliner’s safe return,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Even though it was necessary to return the spacecraft uncrewed, NASA and Boeing learned an incredible amount about Starliner in the most extreme environment possible. NASA looks forward to our continued work with the Boeing team to proceed towards certification of Starliner for crew rotation missions to the space station.”

The flight on June 5 was the first time that astronauts launched aboard the Starliner. It was the third orbital flight of the spacecraft, and its second return from the orbiting laboratory. Starliner will now ship to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for inspection and processing.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program requires a spacecraft to fly a crewed test flight to prove that the system is ready for regular flights to and from the orbiting laboratory. Following Starliner’s return, the agency will review all mission-related data.

“We are excited to have Starliner home safely. This was an important test flight for NASA in setting us up for future missions on the Starliner system,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “There was a lot of valuable learning that will enable our long-term success. I want to commend the entire team for their hard work and dedication over the past three months.”

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched on June 5 aboard Starliner for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. On June 6, as Starliner approached the space station, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft’s reaction control thrusters. Following weeks of in-space and ground testing, technical interchange meetings and agency reviews, NASA made the decision to prioritize safety and return Starliner without its crew.

Wilmore and Williams will continue their work aboard station as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew, returning in February 2025 with the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission.

The crew flight test is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit. This is already providing additional research time and has increased the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

SpaceX Will Now Bring Boeing's Crew Flight Test Astronauts Home Due to Calypso's Design Flaws...

NASA

NASA Decides to Bring Starliner Spacecraft Back to Earth Without Crew (News Release)

NASA will return Boeing’s Starliner to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard the spacecraft, the agency announced Saturday. The uncrewed return allows NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on Starliner during its upcoming flight home, while also not accepting more risk than necessary for its crew.

Wilmore and Williams, who flew to the International Space Station in June aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, have been busy supporting station research, maintenance, and Starliner system testing and data analysis, among other activities.

“Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.”

Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025. They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the space station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September.

NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft's reaction control thrusters on June 6 as Starliner approached the space station. Since then, engineering teams have completed a significant amount of work, including reviewing a collection of data, conducting flight and ground testing, hosting independent reviews with agency propulsion experts, and developing various return contingency plans. The uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence does not meet the agency’s safety and performance requirements for human spaceflight, thus prompting NASA leadership to move the astronauts to the Crew-9 mission.

“Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. “We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We also will continue to gather more data about Starliner during the uncrewed return and improve the system for future flights to the space station.”

Starliner is designed to operate autonomously and previously completed two uncrewed flights. NASA and Boeing will work together to adjust end-of-mission planning and Starliner’s systems to set up for the uncrewed return in the coming weeks. Starliner must return to Earth before the Crew-9 mission launches to ensure a docking port is available on station.

“Starliner is a very capable spacecraft and, ultimately, this comes down to needing a higher level of certainty to perform a crewed return,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “The NASA and Boeing teams have completed a tremendous amount of testing and analysis, and this flight test is providing critical information on Starliner’s performance in space. Our efforts will help prepare for the uncrewed return and will greatly benefit future corrective actions for the spacecraft.”

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program requires spacecraft fly a crewed test flight to prove the system is ready for regular flights to and from the space station. Following Starliner’s return, the agency will review all mission-related data to inform what additional actions are required to meet NASA’s certification requirements.

The agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, originally slated with four crew members, will launch no earlier than Tuesday, September 24. The agency will share more information about the Crew-9 complement when details are finalized.

NASA and SpaceX are currently working several items before launch, including reconfiguring seats on the Crew-9 Dragon, and adjusting the manifest to carry additional cargo, personal effects and Dragon-specific spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams. In addition, NASA and SpaceX will now use new facilities at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to launch Crew-9, which provides increased operational flexibility around NASA’s planned Europa Clipper launch.

The Crew-9 mission will be the ninth rotational mission to the space station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which works with the American aerospace industry to meet the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the orbital outpost on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Matthew Dominick

Preps Continue at KSC for the First Crewed Launch of the SLS Rocket...

NASA / Isaac Watson

NASA Teams Change Brakes to Keep Artemis Crew Safe (News Release)

Recently, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center met with engineering teams at a central Florida amusement park to share knowledge on a new braking system that NASA is using for its launch pad emergency egress system for Artemis missions.

“We have a new magnetic braking system for the Artemis emergency egress system and NASA hasn’t used this technology on the ground infrastructure side before to support launches,” said Jesse Berdis, mobile launcher 1 deputy project manager for EGS. “I realized we have neighbors 50 miles from us in Orlando that are essentially the world experts on magnetic braking systems.”

For Artemis, teams will use a track cable that connects the mobile launcher to the terminus site near the perimeter of NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B, where four baskets, similar to gondola lifts, can ride down. This is where the magnetic braking system operates to help control the acceleration of the baskets in multiple weight and environmental conditions. At the pad terminus site, armored emergency response vehicles are stationed to take personnel safely away from the launch pad to a designated safe site at Kennedy.

Many roller coaster manufacturers employ the use of an “eddy current braking system,” which involves using magnetics to help slow down a vehicle. Though the applications used on the roller coasters differ slightly from what the EGS teams are using for Artemis, the concept is the same, explained Amanda Arrieta, mobile launcher 1 senior element engineer.

However, unlike roller coasters which are typically in use daily for multiple hours on end, the Artemis emergency egress system is there for emergency situations only.

“We don’t plan to ever run our system unless we’re testing it or performing maintenance,” Berdis said.

Regardless of this, teams at Kennedy have ensured that the system is able to function for years to come to support future Artemis missions.

“The maintenance crews [at the amusement park] were awesome because they showed us their nightly, monthly and yearly inspections on what they were doing,” Berdis said. “That gave our operations teams a really good foundation and baseline knowledge of what to expect when they maintain and operate this system for the Artemis missions.”

Some of the conversations and suggestions that teams shared include adding an acceleration sensor in the emergency egress baskets during testing. The sensor will help detect how fast the baskets are going when they ride down.

The emergency egress system is one of several new additions that the EGS team is implementing to prepare for future crewed missions starting with Artemis II, and this system especially emphasizes the importance of safety.

“We have a mission, and a part of that mission is in case of an emergency, which we don’t expect, is to protect our astronauts and supporting teams at the launch pad,” Berdis said. “We want our teams to be safe and, for any scenario we put them in, especially on the ground infrastructure side, it’s important for us to do our due diligence. That includes talking to other groups that are the experts in their field to ensure we have looked at all possibilities across the board to ensure our mission is a safe one for our teams.”

During the Space Shuttle Program, teams used a similar system for the escape route that astronauts and other personnel take in the event of an emergency during a launch countdown. However, instead of using a magnetic braking system for the baskets, teams used a mechanical braking system, which involved using a catch net and drag chain to slow and then halt the baskets sliding down the wire.

For the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, SpaceX also uses a catch net and drag chain for its slidewire cable at NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A pad and a deployable chute at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Boeing and United Launch Alliance also use a slidewire, but instead of baskets, the team deploys seats, like riding down a zip line, that ride down the slide wires at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.

Source: NASA.Gov

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The Latest Update on Calypso...

NASA

Starliner Docked Hot Fire Testing Complete (News Release)

Spacecraft thrusters tested and helium system checked in second successful docked hot fire test.

The Starliner team completed a docked hot fire test of the spacecraft’s Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters on Saturday afternoon, and monitored its helium system, providing additional data points for the Crew Flight Test’s return to Earth.

With Starliner flight director Chloe Mehring at the helm and Boeing engineers on console monitoring the spacecraft’s systems, flight controllers commanded the sequential firing of 27 RCS thrusters.

“The integrated teams between Starliner and ISS worked extremely well together this week to finalize and safely execute the docked hot fire sequence,” said Mehring, who will lead the Starliner flight control team in the upcoming undocking from the International Space Station.

“Both teams were very happy with the results.”

The one-pulse firings were designed to confirm the performance of each thruster. Aft-facing thrusters were fired for 1.2 seconds and all others for .40 seconds.

Between each firing, the team reviewed real-time data and all thrusters performed at peak thrust rating values, ranging from 97-102%. The helium system also remained stable.

Additionally, an RCS oxidizer isolation valve that was not fully seated previously, was cycled several times during today’s testing and is now operating normally.

This is the second time the spacecraft has been hot fired successfully while docked, an integrated operation that the station and Starliner teams will also conduct during future long-duration missions.

Flight test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were inside Starliner Calypso giving the team on the ground real-time feedback during the test. In preparation for the return home, Wilmore and Williams will participate in two undock-to-landing simulations next week.

A Flight Test Readiness Review is tentatively planned for late next week, and the data gathered today will be reviewed and included in return flight rationale. While a landing date has not yet been set, opportunities are available throughout August.

Source: StarlinerUpdates.com

The Latest Update on Calypso...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Complete Starliner Engine Testing, Continue Analysis (News Release)

NASA and Boeing engineers are evaluating results from last week’s engine tests at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico as the team works through plans to return the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test from the International Space Station in the coming weeks.

Teams completed ground hot fire testing at White Sands and are working to evaluate the test data and inspect the test engine. The ongoing ground analysis is expected to continue throughout the week.

Working with a reaction control system thruster built for a future Starliner spacecraft, ground teams fired the engine through similar in-flight conditions that the spacecraft experienced on the way to the space station. The ground tests also included stress-case firings, and replicated conditions Starliner’s thrusters will experience from undocking to deorbit burn, where the thrusters will fire to slow Starliner’s speed to bring it out of orbit for a landing in the southwestern United States.

For a detailed overview of the test plans, listen to a replay of a recent media teleconference with NASA and Boeing leadership.

“I am extremely proud of the NASA, Boeing team for their hard work in executing a very complex test series,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We collected an incredible amount of data on the thruster that could help us better understand what is going on in flight. Next, our team has moved into engine tear downs and inspections which will provide additional insight as we analyze the results and evaluate next steps.”

Integrated ground teams are also preparing for an in-depth Agency Flight Test Readiness Review, which will evaluate data related to the spacecraft’s propulsion system performance before its return to Earth. The date of the agency review has not yet been solidified.

NASA and Boeing leadership plan to discuss the testing and analysis work in detail during a media briefing next week. More information on the briefing will be made available soon.

While testing and analysis are happening on Earth, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Starliner mission commander, and Suni Williams, mission pilot, are working alongside the Expedition 71 crew. The two participated in vein scans using the Ultrasound 2 device on Monday.

Doctors on the ground monitored in real-time as the pair took turns imaging each other’s neck, shoulder and leg veins. Afterward, Wilmore scanned the veins of fellow NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, helping researchers understand how microgravity affects the human body.

Wilmore and Dominick also spent a portion of the day taking inventory of the food stored aboard the space station. Williams worked on a pair of studies, first exploring the use of microgravity to manufacture higher-quality optical fibers than on Earth.

Williams also investigated using fluid physics, such as surface tension, to overcome the lack of gravity when watering and nourishing plants grown in space.

Source: NASA.Gov

Celebrating America's Independence Day Aboard Calypso...

NASA

Old Glory Aboard Boeing's Starliner Capsule (Photo Release - July 2)

The American flag is pictured inside the window of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that carried NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station on NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA

Calypso Protected Its Crew Flight Test Astronauts from Oncoming Space Debris Yesterday...

NASA

Starliner Works “Exceptionally Well” as Safe Haven in Real-life Scenario (News Release)

Week in Review: Starliner crew wraps up third week in space

Wednesday started as any other morning on-orbit for Starliner’s maiden crew, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Their exercise routine was followed by organizing cargo inside the Permanent Multipurpose Module.

But the nominal day quickly changed when a satellite broke apart at an altitude near the International Space Station.

Shortly after 9 p.m. EDT, NASA instructed all astronauts to seek shelter in their respective spacecraft. Wilmore and Williams activated their Safe Haven procedures, sheltered inside Starliner, and began preparations for a possible undocking from the station if it became necessary.

They closed the hatch before the closest debris approach, which passed without issue.

“Starliner’s Safe Haven worked exceptionally well and as envisioned for this case,” said Ed Van Cise, the Starliner flight director who coordinated the sheltering actions with Wilmore and Williams.

Mission Control monitored the path of debris and after about an hour the crew was cleared to exit their spacecraft and resume station operations – which in this case was sleep. Starliner was out of docked quiescent mode for about three hours.

Wilmore and Williams performed two prior Safe Haven exercises inside Starliner, as part of the CFT test objectives. However, the additional metrics gathered on Wednesday evening will benefit Starliner’s certification process and sharpen the experience for future crews.

Starliner remains available for return in case of an emergency on the space station that would require the crew to leave orbit immediately and come back to Earth.

The opportunity to learn more about how Starliner performs in space is also giving Wilmore and Williams the additional time they had hoped for in zero gravity.

Earlier in the week, Wilmore cheered on the University of Tennessee’s baseball team, who played for and won the national championship, from the space station cupola. Wilmore is a Tennessee native and achieved a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from UT.

The ISS crew also helped prepare astronauts Tracy Dyson and Mike Barratt for a spacewalk. Their time outside the station ended early due to a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit on Dyson’s spacesuit.

The crew members were not in any danger as a result of the leak.

Tuesday, all nine astronauts worked on advanced microgravity research, checked spacesuits and performed maintenance on the orbiting laboratory. Wilmore and Williams spent the evening inside the Harmony module maintaining plumbing gear.

They replaced the pressure control and pump assembly motor that supports the space station’s main restroom.

Next week, the Starliner crew will work with flight controllers to power up the spacecraft and load software files, charge batteries on a camera and their tablets, and perform other housekeeping activities. In addition to their valuable contributions to the space station, Wilmore and Williams are also helping ground teams collect critical data for longer-duration Starliner missions.

Source: StarlinerUpdates.com

Calypso's Landing Date Is Now Up in the Air...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Adjust Timeline for Starliner Return (News Release)

NASA and Boeing leadership are adjusting the return to Earth of the Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft with agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station. The move off Wednesday, June 26, deconflicts Starliner’s undocking and landing from a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to review propulsion system data.

Listen to a full replay of the June 18 media briefing where NASA and Boeing leadership discussed the ongoing efforts.

“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking. Additionally, given the duration of the mission, it is appropriate for us to complete an agency-level review, similar to what was done ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return after two months on orbit, to document the agency’s formal acceptance on proceeding as planned.”

A media telecon with mission leadership will follow the readiness review’s conclusion, and the agency will share those details as they are solidified. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains cleared for return in case of an emergency on the space station that required the crew to leave orbit and come back to Earth.

Mission managers are evaluating future return opportunities following the station’s two planned spacewalks on Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, July 2.

“Starliner is performing well in orbit while docked to the space station,” said Stich. “We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.”

Wilmore and Williams remain integrated with the Expedition 71 crew, assisting with station operations as needed and completing add-on in-flight objectives for NASA certification of Starliner.

“The crew’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and they know that every bit of learning we do on the Crew Flight Test will improve and sharpen our experience for future crews,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing’s Starliner Program.

The crew is not pressed for time to leave the station since there are plenty of supplies in orbit, and the station’s schedule is relatively open through mid-August.

Source: NASA.Gov

Photo of the Day: Endeavour as Seen from Inside Calypso...

NASA / Matthew Dominick

A SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft is Pictured Docked to the International Space Station (Photo Release - June 18)

A SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is pictured docked to the zenith port of the International Space Station's Harmony module as the orbiting complex soared 265 miles above the Indian Ocean.

Source: NASA.Gov

Calypso Is Now Set to Land on Earth 8 Days from Now...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Update Starliner Crew Flight Test Return from Station (News Release)

Teams from NASA and Boeing are now targeting no earlier than 10:10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 25, for the undocking of the Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station. For the primary undocking opportunity, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the first crew to fly aboard Starliner, would land about 4:51 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26, at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

Mission teams supporting NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test continue to review Starliner’s data from the completed test objectives.

During a media teleconference on Tuesday, Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, discussed the flight test and upcoming return plans. Stich was joined by Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program; Mike Lammers, flight director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston; and Mark Nappi, vice president and manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program.

Listen to a full replay of the teleconference.

Following undocking and the deorbit burn, Starliner will descend under parachutes to land in the desert grounds of White Sands. Airbags attached to the bottom of Starliner will soften the spacecraft’s touchdown.

The landing will mark the first time that an American capsule has touched down on land with astronauts aboard. A team of NASA and Boeing specialists will retrieve the crew soon after landing.

Wilmore and Williams docked the Starliner spacecraft to the space station’s forward port on June 6 and have been testing spacecraft systems and performing tasks aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA.Gov

Calypso Soars High Above North Africa...

NASA

Crew Flight Test, Day 8 (Photo Release - June 13)

The Starliner spacecraft on NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test is pictured docked to the Harmony module's forward port as the International Space Station orbited 262 miles (427 kilometers) above Egypt's Mediterranean coast.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA

Photo of the Day #2: Calypso and the Aurora...

NASA / Matthew Dominick

Earlier today, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick—who flew to the International Space Station (ISS) on SpaceX's Crew-8 mission last March and is currently a member of the station's Expedition 71 crew—took this amazing photo of Boeing's Starliner Calypso capsule as it and the ISS flew over the Northern Lights above the night side of the Earth.

According to Dominick's post on X this morning, he and fellow ISS crew members were gazing at aurorae outside the Cupola windows "a lot lately. Starliner was doing some testing today so we decided to check it out from (Crew Dragon Endeavour's) windows. Timing was great for the aurora to line up nicely with Starliner’s service module thrusters."

Such an awesome image! Dominick and the rest of the Expedition 71 crew have till June 22 to continue taking jaw-dropping photos of Starliner with the backdrop of Earth below it...before the Boeing capsule departs the orbital outpost with fellow NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard, re-enters the atmosphere, and lands at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, completing the Crew Flight Test.

Photos of the Day: The ISS from High Above...

Maxar Technologies

Just thought I'd share this amazing image that was taken of the International Space Station (ISS) by Maxar Technologies' WorldView-3 Earth-observation satellite...which launched aboard United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket on August 13, 2014.

WorldView-3 was orbiting 276 kilometers (172 miles) above the ISS when this stunning picture was captured a week ago on June 7.

Speaking of ULA's Atlas V, the rocket's latest payload—Boeing's Starliner Calypso capsule—can be seen docked to the forward port of the station's Harmony module in this photo.

The annotated version of this image, showing five of the six visiting vehicles (Calypso, Crew Dragon Endeavour, Cygnus, Soyuz MS-25 as well as Progress 87 and 88) that are currently docked to the ISS, is posted below.

Calypso itself is currently set to return to Earth on June 22...landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico to complete Boeing's Crew Flight Test.


Maxar Technologies / SpaceX FrontPage

Welcome Back to the ISS, Butch and Suni!

NASA

Boeing’s Crew Flight Test on Starliner Docks to Station (News Release - June 6)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, successfully docked to the International Space Station at 1:34 p.m. EDT. Starliner launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 10:52 a.m. on June 5 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

During flight, Wilmore and Williams successfully performed manual piloting demonstrations of Starliner and completed a sleep period. Prior to crew sleep, mission teams identified three helium leaks in the spacecraft.

One of these was previously discussed before flight along with a management plan, and the other two occured when the spacecraft arrived in orbit. To monitor and manage these leaks, the three helium manifolds were closed in flight during the crew’s sleep period and were all reopened ahead of rendezvous and docking operations.

After docking, all Starliner manifolds are closed per normal plans.

As Starliner began its approach to the space station, five reaction control system thrusters failed off during flight. Mission teams performed a series of hot-fire tests which re-enabled four of the thrusters while the crew manually piloted the spacecraft at the station’s 200-meter hold point.

After re-selecting four of the thrusters, Starliner had the fault tolerance required to approach the space station for docking. At the 10-meter hold point, the mission team completed system readiness evaluations and proceeded with docking.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA TV


NASA TV

Calypso Is Finally Flying Butch and Suni to the ISS!

NASA / Joel Kowsky

LIFTOFF! NASA Astronauts Pilot First Starliner Crewed Test to Station (Press Release)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are safely in orbit on the first crewed flight test aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft bound for the International Space Station.

As part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, the astronauts lifted off at 10:52 a.m. EDT Wednesday on a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on an end-to-end test of the Starliner system.

“Two bold NASA astronauts are well on their way on this historic first test flight of a brand-new spacecraft,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Boeing’s Starliner marks a new chapter of American exploration. Human spaceflight is a daring task – but that’s why it’s worth doing. It’s an exciting time for NASA, our commercial partners, and the future of exploration. Go Starliner, Go Butch and Suni!”

As part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, the flight test will help validate the transportation system, launch pad, rocket, spacecraft, in-orbit operations capabilities, and return to Earth with astronauts aboard as the agency prepares to certify Starliner for rotational missions to the space station. Starliner previously flew two uncrewed orbital flights, including a test to and from the space station, along with a pad abort demonstration.

“With Starliner’s launch, separation from the rocket, and arrival on orbit, Boeing’s Crew Flight Test is right on track,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “Everyone is focused on giving Suni and Butch a safe, comfortable ride and performing a successful test mission from start to finish.”

During Starliner’s flight, Boeing will monitor a series of automatic spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in Houston. NASA teams will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“Flying crew on Starliner represents over a decade of work by the Commercial Crew Program and our partners at Boeing and ULA,” said Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “For many of us, this is a career-defining moment bringing on a new crew transportation capability for our agency and our nation. We are going to take it one step at a time, putting Starliner through its paces, and remaining vigilant until Butch and Suni safely touch down back on Earth at the conclusion of this test flight.”

Starliner will autonomously dock to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, and remain at the orbital laboratory for about a week.

Wilmore and Williams will help verify that the spacecraft is performing as intended by testing the environmental control system, the displays and control system, and by maneuvering the thrusters, among other tests during flight.

After a safe arrival at the space station, Wilmore and Williams will join the Expedition 71 crew of NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matt Dominick, Tracy C. Dyson and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin and Oleg Kononenko.

Mission coverage will continue on NASA Television channels throughout Starliner’s flight and resume on NASA+ prior to docking.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA TV


NASA / Joel Kowsky

Calypso's Next Launch Attempt Is Officially Scheduled for This Wednesday...

NASA / Joel Kowsky

NASA, Mission Partners Target June 5 Crew Flight Test Launch (News Release)

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission teams are preparing to support a launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 5, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a mission of about a week to the International Space Station.

Technicians and engineers with ULA (United Launch Alliance) worked overnight and on Sunday to assess the ground support equipment at the launch pad that encountered issues during the countdown and scrubbed the June 1 launch attempt. The ULA team identified an issue with a single ground power supply within one of the three redundant chassis that provides power to a subset of computer cards controlling various system functions, including the card responsible for the stable replenishment topping valves for the Centaur upper stage.

All three of these chassis are required to enter the terminal phase of the launch countdown to ensure crew safety.

On Sunday, the chassis containing the faulty ground power unit was removed, visually inspected, and replaced with a spare chassis. No signs of physical damage were observed.

A full failure analysis of the power unit will be performed to better understand root cause. Meanwhile, ULA has completed functional checkouts of the new chassis and the cards, and all hardware is performing normally.

The mission managers have opted for the next launch attempt on June 5. The U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions, with the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concern.

Another opportunity is available at 10:29 a.m. on Thursday, June 6.

NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, the crew of the flight test who will be the first to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, remain in quarantine at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and will take part in pilot proficiency and other training activities leading up to launch.

Source: NASA.Gov

Calypso's Flight to the ISS Has Been Delayed Once More; Plus an Update on Starship's Next Launch...

NASA

NASA, Mission Partners Forgo June 2 Launch of Starliner Crew Flight Test (News Release)

NASA, Boeing and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are forgoing a Starliner Crew Flight Test launch attempt on Sunday, June 2, to give the team additional time to assess a ground support equipment issue at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida.

Saturday’s launch to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the International Space Station was scrubbed due to an observation of a ground launch sequencer. The system was unsuccessful in verifying the sequencer’s necessary redundancy.

ULA will assess the ground support equipment overnight, and NASA will provide an update June 2 on next steps for the flight. The next available launch opportunities are Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.

Watch a replay of the news conference here.

Source: StarlinerUpdates.com

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Flight 4 of Starship is now targeted to launch as early as June 6, pending regulatory approvalhttps://t.co/XjreI7nQOp pic.twitter.com/Pgg0IqlP24

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 1, 2024