Astronauts Who Flew To Space Aboard Starliner Face Additional Delay (cnn.com)
(Thursday December 19, 2024 @05:00AM (BeauHD)
from the here-we-go-again dept.)
- Reference: 0175697705
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/19/0044237/astronauts-who-flew-to-space-aboard-starliner-face-additional-delay
- Source link: https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/18/science/astronauts-space-delay-return/index.html
NASA has [1]delayed the launch of SpaceX Crew-10 to late March 2025 to allow time for processing a new Dragon spacecraft, extending the stay of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the ISS to about nine months. CNN reports:
> Williams and Wilmore launched to space in June, piloting the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Their trip, expected to last about a week, [2]ballooned into a [3]monthslong assignment after their vehicle experienced technical issues en route to the space station and NASA determined it would be too risky to bring them home aboard the Starliner.
>
> The astronauts have since joined Crew-9, a routine space station mission originally [4]slated to return to Earth no earlier than February after a handoff period with Crew-10. Now, Crew-10 will get off the ground at least a month later than expected because NASA and SpaceX teams need "time to complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission," according to the space agency.
"NASA and SpaceX assessed various options for managing the next crewed handover, including using another Dragon spacecraft," NASA noted in a [5]blog post on Tuesday. "After careful consideration, the team determined that launching Crew-10 in late March, following completion of the new Dragon spacecraft, was the best option for meeting NASA's requirements and achieving space station objectives for 2025."
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/18/science/astronauts-space-delay-return/index.html
[2] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/07/27/0039258/boeing-starliner-astronauts-have-been-in-space-six-weeks-longer-than-originally-planned
[3] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/10/22/0356253/nasa-further-delays-first-operational-starliner-flight
[4] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/10/25/1213246/spacex-brings-home-astronauts-after-boeings-starliner-delays-extend-iss-mission
[5] https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/12/17/nasa-adjusts-crew-10-launch-date/
> Williams and Wilmore launched to space in June, piloting the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Their trip, expected to last about a week, [2]ballooned into a [3]monthslong assignment after their vehicle experienced technical issues en route to the space station and NASA determined it would be too risky to bring them home aboard the Starliner.
>
> The astronauts have since joined Crew-9, a routine space station mission originally [4]slated to return to Earth no earlier than February after a handoff period with Crew-10. Now, Crew-10 will get off the ground at least a month later than expected because NASA and SpaceX teams need "time to complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission," according to the space agency.
"NASA and SpaceX assessed various options for managing the next crewed handover, including using another Dragon spacecraft," NASA noted in a [5]blog post on Tuesday. "After careful consideration, the team determined that launching Crew-10 in late March, following completion of the new Dragon spacecraft, was the best option for meeting NASA's requirements and achieving space station objectives for 2025."
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/18/science/astronauts-space-delay-return/index.html
[2] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/07/27/0039258/boeing-starliner-astronauts-have-been-in-space-six-weeks-longer-than-originally-planned
[3] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/10/22/0356253/nasa-further-delays-first-operational-starliner-flight
[4] https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/10/25/1213246/spacex-brings-home-astronauts-after-boeings-starliner-delays-extend-iss-mission
[5] https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/12/17/nasa-adjusts-crew-10-launch-date/
Whomp Whomp (Score:2)
Boeing is just a sad pile of failures now. The worst part is that the people at Boeing who should feel bad about their failures don't, while the ones who shouldn't do.
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, this new delay is because of SpaceX - not Boeing.
Re: (Score:2)
If Boeing did not mess up, those people would be home
Re: (Score:1)
I really found it disheartening that SpaceX accepted bringing home those astronauts and not forcing NASA and Boeing to fix their own fuckups. For one, there are two astronauts who were let down when they were told their seats were now given to other people. SpaceX also charges for those seats. Is Boeing going to compensate SpaceX for flying a part of the round trip empty? It is millions of dollars, so it will impact the bottom line, and SpaceX need all the help they can get financially speaking to further t
Re: (Score:2)
Both Sunni and Butch have flown on the Shuttle and Soyuz before. They are extremely experienced astronauts, which is why they were selected to test the Starliner in the first place. They will be fine. Dragon is very well-tested at this point, having any issues on the way down is extremely unlikely.
And Starliner is not blocking any docking port - the capsule returned to Earth, flying autonomously, back in September.
Re: (Score:2)
The delay is because SpaceX needs to build a new capsule. A new capsule would not be necessary if Starliner was doing the missions that it was supposed to be doing. But SpaceX is doing twice the missions, because someone has to fly them up if Boing isn't. So yes, this is still Boing's fault.
Re: (Score:2)
I do. He is also the head of the worlds pre-eminent EV company, the worlds most advanced ISP, the worlds most advanced rocket company, and he is the worlds best Diablo player. I dont think "too busy" is in his vocabulary. The man accomplishes more on a regular basis that most do in a lifetime. Sorry if that chaps your ass.