NASA pushes back missions to the ISS to buy time for Starliner analysis
- Reference: 1723034587
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/08/07/nasa_pushes_back_iss_missions/
- Source link:
The Starliner's initial eight-day minimum mission is now a distant memory, and the repeated delays are impacting other launches to the ISS. According to NASA, the launch of Crew-9 has been postponed to No Earlier Than (NET) September 24, and the subsequent commercial resupply mission —SpaceX's 31st — has moved back to mid-October.
Furthermore, the Crew-9 mission will have to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, since the Launch Complex 39A pad at Kennedy Space Center needs to be prepared for September's Falcon Heavy launch of NASA's Europa Clipper mission.
[1]
Crew-8 is currently on the ISS and was supposed to return to Earth at the end of August. NASA prefers to do the crew handover on the space station itself, which would mean the return of that mission could also be delayed to accommodate the late launch. While not outside the realm of possibility, adding a month to Crew-8's mission would eat into the margins of how long the Crew Dragon can remain docked to the ISS.
[2]
[3]
A nominal NASA commercial crew mission to the ISS has the Crew Dragon docked for no longer than 180 days. The Crew Dragon can match the [4]Soyuz on-orbit stay constraint of 220 days [PDF], but extending the mission increases the risks involved.
The alternative would be to return Crew-8 before Crew-9 launches.
[5]
In its [6]statement , NASA said, "This adjustment allows more time for mission managers to finalize return planning for the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test currently docked to the orbiting laboratory. Starliner ground teams are taking their time to analyze the results of recent docked hot-fire testing, finalize flight rationale for the spacecraft's integrated propulsion system, and confirm system reliability ahead of Starliner’s return to Earth."
[7]Freighter bound for the ISS suffers engine abort
[8]Boeing's Starliner proves better at torching cash than reaching orbit
[9]NASA gives Falcon 9 thumbs-up to launch Crew-9
[10]Amazon's Project Kuiper slips to end of 2024 for first full-scale launch
Boeing [11]said it "remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew. We continue to support NASA's requests for additional testing, data, analysis, and reviews to affirm the spacecraft's safe undocking and landing capabilities."
While the need for engineers to take time to analyze test data is understandable, the delays are beginning to cause issues elsewhere. One space agency source told The Register that more delays to SpaceX's resupply mission could cause problems further down the line should payloads not arrive when needed. ®
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[4] https://oiir.hq.nasa.gov/asap/documents/responses/nasa/2012-05-09_NASA_Response.pdf
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[6] https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/08/06/nasa-adjusts-crew-9-launch-date-for-operational-flexibility/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/05/freighter_bound_for_iss_engine_abort/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/02/boeing_starliner_losses/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/29/nasa_approves_crew_9_launch/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/28/amazon_project_kuiper_q4/
[11] https://starlinerupdates.com/
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Hmmm.
"A three-hour tour..."
Re: Hmmm.
The thrusters started getting rough
The tiny ship was tossed
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The Calypso would be lost
The Calypso would be lost
So this is the tale of our castaways,
there here for a long long time.
They'll have to make the best of things,
it's an uphill climb.
Frozen
... just let it go.
Re: Frozen
Apparently in news yesterday it was reported that it has no automated undocking/deorbit ability ... Just "let it go" and it'd sit there which is basically what it's doing now.
Options
What other options are there though? Let's face it, Boeing might be confident of starliner's ability to undock and return, but if everyone was similarly confident then it would be undocking and returning, not sitting at the ISS nearly eight weeks into its eight-day mission.
Presumably, the reason that Crew-9 is being delayed is because there are no docking slots left available at the ISS because starliner is there longer than anticipated. But the ISS has six docking bays, with four currently being taken up by cargo / resupply vessels. Why not return one of them earlier than planned and leave the Crew-9 schedule where it was?
Re: Options
Could they handle another 3 people on station for whatever time between crew-9 arriving and 8 leaving?
Re: Options
The various docking ports are also of three different types. The Cygnus freighter that arrived recently uses a CBM port, Soyuz and Progress craft use the Russian style docking ports. Dragons and Starliners use IDA ports and there are, as has been said repeatedly, only two of those on the ISS. Crew 9 cannot dock with the ISS until either the Crew 8 Dragon or the Starliner leave and free up an IDA port.
Re: Options
"then it would be undocking and returning"
No - because doing so eliminates the possibility of further testing. That's why they're hanging on, they want to do as many tests as they possibly can, hopefully actually figuring out what the underlying issues are.
End game...
I'm flagging the following. Bin liner cannot undock and return...
1) without a crew because it has the wrong software installed and even if they reinstall the auto flight software there is no guarantee the thing won't fire its thrusters at the ISS and make the big bird go bang.
2) They need a person aboard the bin liner to press the big red undock button before any auto flight software is engaged.
So they'll end up with 2 guys in spacesuits holding onto the thing whilst no 3 pushes the un dock button and runs. Then the other 2 shove the thing way from the ISS before the thrusters fire and it's all a simple as that. IMHO with popcorn in hand.
Really?
Boeing said it "remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft. Of course it did.
The rapidly running-out-of-patience shareholders cannot handle the reality that Boeing has lost the race with SpaceX and only Boeing's pride, and the marooned astronauts, is stopping them from cancelling the whole project right now.
If there is the slightest doubt about the software, or those thrusters, not working 100% then NASA must call it. Imagine what would happen if there is a major problem. NASA will not risk another Challenger for sure.
SpaceX could mount the rescue mission and I am sure they have already agreed a timescale and price for the job.
Re: Really?
Maybe the solution is to just undock the thing and then point it back down into the atmosphere to burn up.
It solves the crew and SpaceX problem.
Okay, they lose the Starliner but it is increasing looking like a liability anyway.
Re: Really?
And how do you "point it down"?
An undocking and deorbit burn (currently) need someone on board to push the buttons
Hmmm.
With further delays, the 12 days per pair of underpants strategies discussed in a related thread may be insufficient.