Nasa introduced that two of its astronauts, take a look at pilots Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, may have an prolonged keep on the Worldwide House Station.
The astronauts have been initially scheduled to return in mid-June, following a week-long go to to the orbiting laboratory. Nonetheless, the Boeing Starliner capsule encountered thruster failures and helium leaks, inflicting Nasa and Boeing to delay the astronauts’ mission.
Addressing a information convention, on July 25 , Mark Nappi, Starliner program supervisor and vice chairman, stated: “I’m very assured we now have a superb automobile to deliver the crew again with.”
“Our mission was to get the crew to the ISS and that has been accomplished. Our mission was to be taught from a flight take a look at. Now it’s time to give attention to returning the crew safely,” Nappi added.
The Starliner staff is at the moment analysing knowledge from the lately accomplished floor testing of a Response Management System (RCS) thruster. The testing, which came about at Nasa’s White Sands Take a look at Facility in New Mexico that offered useful insights for root trigger assessments and can assist finalise flight rationale to make sure a clean undocking and touchdown course of.
The findings from these assessments won’t solely profit future missions but additionally pave the best way for Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to securely return to Earth. The Starliner Crew Flight Take a look at (CFT) touchdown date can be set after the Flight Take a look at Readiness Assessment, which is deliberate for the latter a part of subsequent week, the assertion made by Nasa’s Boeing Starliner stated.
All through August, there are a number of touchdown alternatives accessible, permitting for adaptability within the mission schedule, it added.
This weekend, whereas securely docked to the area station, the Starliner staff intends to scorching fireplace 27 out of the 28 RCS thrusters. The target is to substantiate the thrusters’ efficiency, akin to what could be carried out in upcoming missions.
Moreover, the staff needs one other helium leak knowledge level, which has remained constant because the spacecraft docked to the station on June 6. For almost all of the time whereas docked to the station, the helium system has been closed, indicating no helium leakage in that setup.
This was Boeing’s first take a look at flight with a crew on board. In distinction, SpaceX has been transporting astronauts since 2020.
The astronauts have been initially scheduled to return in mid-June, following a week-long go to to the orbiting laboratory. Nonetheless, the Boeing Starliner capsule encountered thruster failures and helium leaks, inflicting Nasa and Boeing to delay the astronauts’ mission.
Addressing a information convention, on July 25 , Mark Nappi, Starliner program supervisor and vice chairman, stated: “I’m very assured we now have a superb automobile to deliver the crew again with.”
“Our mission was to get the crew to the ISS and that has been accomplished. Our mission was to be taught from a flight take a look at. Now it’s time to give attention to returning the crew safely,” Nappi added.
The Starliner staff is at the moment analysing knowledge from the lately accomplished floor testing of a Response Management System (RCS) thruster. The testing, which came about at Nasa’s White Sands Take a look at Facility in New Mexico that offered useful insights for root trigger assessments and can assist finalise flight rationale to make sure a clean undocking and touchdown course of.
The findings from these assessments won’t solely profit future missions but additionally pave the best way for Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to securely return to Earth. The Starliner Crew Flight Take a look at (CFT) touchdown date can be set after the Flight Take a look at Readiness Assessment, which is deliberate for the latter a part of subsequent week, the assertion made by Nasa’s Boeing Starliner stated.
All through August, there are a number of touchdown alternatives accessible, permitting for adaptability within the mission schedule, it added.
This weekend, whereas securely docked to the area station, the Starliner staff intends to scorching fireplace 27 out of the 28 RCS thrusters. The target is to substantiate the thrusters’ efficiency, akin to what could be carried out in upcoming missions.
Moreover, the staff needs one other helium leak knowledge level, which has remained constant because the spacecraft docked to the station on June 6. For almost all of the time whereas docked to the station, the helium system has been closed, indicating no helium leakage in that setup.
This was Boeing’s first take a look at flight with a crew on board. In distinction, SpaceX has been transporting astronauts since 2020.
