New spacecraft “Starliner” clears readiness test, one step forward for manned flight test scheduled for May | sorae Space portal site

On April 25, 2024, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and American aviation giant Boeing announced a crewed flight test mission “Crew” using the new spacecraft “CST-100 Starliner” currently under development by Boeing. We announced that the Flight Test Readiness Review for the “Flight Test (CFT)” has been completed. The CFT launch is scheduled to take place as early as May 7, 2024, Japan time.[Last updated: April 26, 2024 at 11:00]

Starliner is a manned spacecraft that, along with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, was developed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The first flight was the unmanned flight test mission “Orbital Flight Test (OFT)” carried out in December 2019, but at that time it was unable to enter the planned orbit due to a software problem, and the International Space Station (ISS) and returned to Earth. The second unmanned flight mission “OFT-2” was carried out in May 2022, and the demonstration test from launch to return, including docking with the ISS, was successfully conducted.

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Prior to the start of full-scale manned flights with Starliner, NASA and Boeing are refraining from conducting CFT that will actually have a crew on board. CFT has NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams as the prime crew, and astronaut Edward Michael Fincke as the backup crew.

According to NASA and Boeing, Starliner’s CFT is scheduled to launch as early as 22:34 ET on May 6, 2024 (11:34 a.m. May 7, Japan time). It is reported that the reserve days will be available on May 7th, 10th, and 11th local time in the United States. Astronauts Wilmore and Williams will arrive at the ISS about a day after launch, and will stay on the ISS for about a week before returning to Earth.

Starliner will be launched using a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. A launch rehearsal by NASA, Boeing, and ULA is scheduled to be held on April 26, 2024, local time in the United States.

In addition, in preparation for the arrival of Starliner, the unmanned supply ship “Cargo Dragon” currently moored at the ISS is scheduled to depart and the Crew Dragon will be relocated. Cargo Dragon’s departure from the ISS was scheduled for April 26, 2024 local time in the United States, but due to predicted bad weather in the area where it was scheduled to land, it was postponed to April 28, 2024, and the CFT schedule may also be affected.

Source

• NASA – NASA Flight Test Readiness Review Concludes, Teleconference to Follow (NASA Blogs)
• Boeing – NASA gives Starliner ‘go to proceed’
• SpaceNews – Starliner crewed test flight passes key review

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