Swapna Krishna

Boeing Starliner will not launch before Friday, May 10, and it may push into next week. The issue is a valve that controls liquid oxygen pressure on the upper stage of the rocket. It was humming/oscillating, and they need to examine it to see if it needs to be replaced.

If it doesn't, launch will be no earlier than Friday. If it does need to be replaced (which means the rocket needs to be rolled back), we're likely looking at launch dates into next week.

#boeing #nasa #starliner #space

May 7, 2024 at 1:20pmWeb
Show threadJ.Sʜᴀʀᴘ🌍🇺🇦Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ&DᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴄʏMay 7, 2024

@skrishna

Why am I not surprised it's Boeing? They'd better check Starliner's door as well.

Show threadshnonksMay 7, 2024

@JSharp1436 @skrishna the issue was on the rocket side, which is ULA. Except they're a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed...

This kind of issue comes from not launching enough.

Show threadSwapna KrishnaMay 7, 2024
@shnonks @JSharp1436 I think not launching a rocket that is having an issue is pretty responsible, versus what Boeing has been doing.
Show threadshnonksMay 7, 2024
@skrishna @JSharp1436 I agree that they made the right call by not launching. I meant that a higher launch cadence would prevent this kind of problem by helping flush out more edge cases. Even though the Atlas V is a mature design, letting rockets and ground systems sit around collecting dust for months isn't great.
Show threadJ.Sʜᴀʀᴘ🌍🇺🇦Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ&DᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴄʏMay 7, 2024

@skrishna @shnonks

Yes indeed. Sorry, I was being a tad flippant.

Yes, it's a shame they've had a setback. It just seems to be taking an eternity to get this ship off the ground and into orbit.

Fingers crossed it's sorted sooner than later.

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. You do a great show.

Show threadSwapna KrishnaMay 7, 2024
@JSharp1436 It's not a Boeing issue. It's a problem with the rocket, which is from ULA.
Show threadLaimisMay 7, 2024
@skrishna have you ever talked or heard anything about the astronauts that got spacex selection vs ones that got starliner? I remember when both projects had that initial conference/announcement and all crews were excited to go. Did anyone from Boeing assignment ever get to switch to spacex ride?
Show threadSwapna KrishnaMay 7, 2024
@laimis Yes, but for a launch like this it's really important that the crew train on the vehicle and know it inside and out, so it's not so much about getting to switch to fly sooner. That being said, Jeanette Epps was briefly assigned to this flight and is currently on the ISS as part of SpaceX's Crew-8.
Show threadLaimisMay 7, 2024
@skrishna yup yup, by no means for this one. Good to hear that some of the starliner assignees were able to switch.
Show threadBishop WhitewindMay 7, 2024
@skrishna hey, that's what was wrong with their suicide pods the last time!
It's been like give or take 6 years and they still haven't managed to fix a valve.....