MADRID (EUROPA PRESS).– Boeing intends to launch around March 2024 its first Starliner ship with astronauts on board contracted with NASA bound for the International Space Station.
Boeing’s goal hinges on a successful high-altitude drop test of the parachute upgrades, currently scheduled for around November, as well as satisfying other crucial technical and safety concerns both internally and at NASA, the company said at a meeting. informative, reports Bloomberg.
Starliner’s future has been uncertain, with officials at NASA and Boeing in June delaying its launch indefinitely.
The delays have also raised concerns about NASA’s goal of having multiple connecting lines for the International Space Station. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully delivered its first astronauts under the Commercial Crew Program to the Station in 2020, and has sent crews to the space station multiple times since. SpaceX’s next mission is scheduled for August 25.
A successful crewed test flight would ultimately clear the way for Starliner to transport cargo and astronauts to the orbital complex, but readiness for flight doesn’t necessarily mean a launch date is available.
NASA has not yet set a launch date and Boeing will work with the agency to find a time that works best depending on traffic at Cape Canaveral and on the International Space Station, Mark Nappi, Starliner program manager, said at the conference. press.
During their June press conference, NASA and Boeing said they had discovered two new concerns with the Starliner, including problems with the vehicle’s parachutes and the flammable tape used to wrap wiring harnesses.
The capsule’s high-altitude drop in November will test parachute upgrades that engineers believe resolve the potential safety risks noted above, Boeing said. The upgrades include a modified cloth gasket with an improved safety margin and higher-strength fibers, the company said.
Boeing is trying to solve the flammability problem by removing the acrylic tape in some areas of the Starliner or by covering it in other parts. That could mitigate fire hazards since the tape’s glue, which is flammable, needs oxygen to ignite.
