Spaceflight Reports

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station on Friday, Sept. 6, with separation confirmed at 6:04 p.m. Eastern time. The reusable crew module is expected to land at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time (10:01 p.m. Mountain time) Saturday at White Sands Space Harbor at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. […]

Since Starliner’s Crew Flight Test (CFT) launch on June 5, Boeing and NASA have conducted extensive testing of its propulsion system in space and on the ground. Those tests include: 7 ground tests of a Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster pulled from the Starliner-1 Service Module: 1 launch-to-docking test with more than 1,000 pulses to […]

Practiced, prepared, checked out, refilled, and inspected – the Starliner team is proceeding through checklists to be ready for return when a date is chosen. They spent Tuesday practicing for undocking during an integrated simulation with the International Space Station. Teams occupied their consoles in the Mission Control Center in Houston and in Boeing’s Mission […]

Spacecraft thrusters tested and helium system checked in second successful docked hot fire test. The Starliner team completed a docked hot fire test of the spacecraft’s Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters Saturday afternoon, and monitored its helium system, providing additional data points for the Crew Flight Test’s return to Earth. With Starliner flight director Chloe […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew continued assisting the ISS crew with various audits and housekeeping.  They also performed CloudNet Testing and STEMonstration Earth Science activities. Payloads: Sleep in Orbit: A crewmember transferred the MicroSD memory card into a Columbus Payload Laptop to allow the ground to downlink data. The Sleep in …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew performed checkouts and measurements in preparation for a future potential CFT undock. They also assisted the ISS crew in NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL) restow operations. Payloads: KIBO Robot Programming Challenge 5: Preparation activities and the Robo-Pro Challenge #5 Technical Rehearsal were performed using JEM Camera Robot …

Thruster testing and inspections on the ground lead to meaningful findings prior to Starliner’s return. With ground testing of a Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster complete and disassembly and inspections concluding, the Starliner team is reviewing data that will aid in future missions and pave the way for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by installing the ArgUS 1-1 Multi Payload Platform in the NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL).  They also assisted the ISS crew in the Butterfly iQ Scans and stowage management in the Columbus Module. Payloads: ArgUS 1-1: The assembled ArgUS 1-1 plate was installed …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by performing payload activities. They completed the ArgUS 1-1 sub-payloads installation and several Thor-Davis sessions. Payloads: ArgUS 1-1: The ArgUS 1-1 sub-payloads were installed onto the ArgUS Multi Payload Platform and stowed in the NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL). More information about this investigation …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by performing stowage clearing operations to prepare for the ArgUS installation operations. They also uploaded new software into the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Laptop Computer (MLC). Payloads: JEM Internal Ball Camera 2: The JEM Internal Ball Camera Robot 2 was setup …

Ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico is complete, and teams are now turning their attention to data reviews. The test objective was to observe thruster degradation so teams could get a better understanding of why some thrusters were deselected in-flight and what, if […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew with a few payload activities and completed Onboard Training for Backup Flight Control Proficiency. Payloads: Electro-static Levitation Furnace (ELF): The ELF cartridge holder containing the latest melted sample was removed and replaced with a new sample holder and sample. The completed …