Boeing Starliner 1st Astronaut Flight

[StrawMan]

Boeing’s Starliner is set to Launch May 06, err May 10, umm May 17, err May 21, 2024.

The CFT1 astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, will be sent aloft in the woefully problem plagued, overdue, and over budget BOEING2 Starliner, atop a ULA3 Atlas V rocket. The crew is scheduled to dock Starliner with the ISS4 and stay for 7 - 8 days, assuming the TURD5 doesn’t get blocked by an IUD6. CFT will be the third flight for Starliner, after two uncrewed launches to the ISS. The capsule suffered several problems on its first mission, which lifted off in December 2019, and failed to meet up with the orbiting lab as planned. But Starliner succeeded on its second try, which launched in May 2022. CFT is a crewed shakeout cruise for the capsule; if all goes well on the upcoming mission, Starliner will be certified to fly NASA astronauts on long-duration missions to and from the ISS. Boeing holds a $4.2 billion contract with the space agency to do just that, which was signed in 2014.

SPACEX7 got a similar deal at the same time, worth $2.6 billion. Elon Musk's company flew its equivalent of CFT in 2020 and is in the middle of its eighth operational, long-duration astronaut mission to the ISS for NASA.

When Wilmore and Williams fly to space, they will be the first crew to do so from CCSFS8 since APOLLO9 7 in 1968. They will also be the first humans to fly to space aboard an Atlas rocket since Gordon Cooper did so on Mercury-Atlas 9 in 1963. Assuming CFT’s mission reaches completion, the Starliner capsule is scheduled for a ground landing in the American Southwest, as opposed to a traditional NASA splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Williams and Wilmore, both former U.S. Navy test pilots, will control the landing attempt, utilizing their proven skills to avoid Starliner capsule OHFUCC10, BORE11, SPLAT12, and TARD13 conditions. Godspeed, CFT crew.



1 CFT – Crew Flight Test
2 BOEING – Boondoggle of Epic Industrial NASA Grants
3 ULA – United Launch Alliance, aka UnLimited Avarice
4 ISS – International Space Station
5 TURD – Tremendously Underperforming Retrograde Design
6 IUD – Instantaneous Unscheduled Depressurization
7 SPACEX – Successful & Profitable Astronaut Crewed EXpeditions
8 CCSFS – Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
9 APOLLO – A Proven Orbit, Landing, & Lift Off
10 OHFUCC – Orbital Heatshield Failure Under Compromised Conditions
11 BORE – Burn on Re-Entry
12 SPLAT – Sudden Propulsion Loss Against Terrain
13 TARD – Terrain Associated Rapid Deconstruction

Sources:

https://www.space.com/starliner-rolled- ... cket-valve

https://www.space.com/news/live/boeing- ... ve-updates

https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner- ... elium-leak

[JPGettysburg]

Boeing’s Starliner is set to Launch May 06, err May 10, umm May 17, err May 21, 2024.

The CFT1 astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, will be sent aloft in the woefully problem plagued, overdue, and over budget BOEING2 Starliner, atop a ULA3 Atlas V rocket. The crew is scheduled to dock Starliner with the ISS4 and stay for 7 - 8 days, assuming the TURD5 doesn’t get blocked by an IUD6. CFT will be the third flight for Starliner, after two uncrewed launches to the ISS. The capsule suffered several problems on its first mission, which lifted off in December 2019, and failed to meet up with the orbiting lab as planned. But Starliner succeeded on its second try, which launched in May 2022. CFT is a crewed shakeout cruise for the capsule; if all goes well on the upcoming mission, Starliner will be certified to fly NASA astronauts on long-duration missions to and from the ISS. Boeing holds a $4.2 billion contract with the space agency to do just that, which was signed in 2014.

SPACEX7 got a similar deal at the same time, worth $2.6 billion. Elon Musk's company flew its equivalent of CFT in 2020 and is in the middle of its eighth operational, long-duration astronaut mission to the ISS for NASA.

When Wilmore and Williams fly to space, they will be the first crew to do so from CCSFS8 since APOLLO9 7 in 1968. They will also be the first humans to fly to space aboard an Atlas rocket since Gordon Cooper did so on Mercury-Atlas 9 in 1963. Assuming CFT’s mission reaches completion, the Starliner capsule is scheduled for a ground landing in the American Southwest, as opposed to a traditional NASA splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Williams and Wilmore, both former U.S. Navy test pilots, will control the landing attempt, utilizing their proven skills to avoid Starliner capsule OHFUCC10, BORE11, SPLAT12, and TARD13 conditions. Godspeed, CFT crew.



1 CFT – Crew Flight Test
2 BOEING – Boondoggle of Epic Industrial NASA Grants
3 ULA – United Launch Alliance, aka UnLimited Avarice
4 ISS – International Space Station
5 TURD – Tremendously Underperforming Retrograde Design
6 IUD – Instantaneous Unscheduled Depressurization
7 SPACEX – Successful & Profitable Astronaut Crewed EXpeditions
8 CCSFS – Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
9 APOLLO – A Proven Orbit, Landing, & Lift Off
10 OHFUCC – Orbital Heatshield Failure Under Compromised Conditions
11 BORE – Burn on Re-Entry
12 SPLAT – Sudden Propulsion Loss Against Terrain
13 TARD – Terrain Associated Rapid Deconstruction

Sources:

https://www.space.com/starliner-rolled- ... cket-valve

https://www.space.com/news/live/boeing- ... ve-updates

https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner- ... elium-leak

Elon Musk is the Da Vinci of his time.

Ironically, when he took Twitter away from left-wing democrat fascist Jack Dorsey, HALF the country instantly views him in the same light as president Trump.

I'll let you guess which HALF.

hint,

screwy, Diego, Mikey, Ken, meat head bill in Houston, etc.........etc.........etc.........
Are ALL part of that HALF

[Screw_Michigan]

Boeing sucks. Starliner sucks. SLS is the worst thing to ever happen to the US space industrial base. Bill Nelson is the piece of shit responsible for that and Biden cared enough to name him NASA administrator. Genius.

It was funny to read that some USAF four star wrote Lockheed and Boeing space chiefs expressing dismay that ULA (joint venture of LM and BA) might not have a rocket to support assured access to space in the next couple of years because Vulcan is so far behind schedule. Buddy, I got news for you, LM and BA know EXACTLY what they are doing with Vulcan: Get the USAF to give them more money to accelerate Vulcan development. What are you going to do, penalize them and give SpaceX even more of a monopoly?

[Diego in Seattle]

Boeing sucks. Starliner sucks. SLS is the worst thing to ever happen to the US space industrial base. Bill Nelson is the piece of shit responsible for that and Biden cared enough to name him NASA administrator. Genius.

It was funny to read that some USAF four star wrote Lockheed and Boeing space chiefs expressing dismay that ULA (joint venture of LM and BA) might not have a rocket to support assured access to space in the next couple of years because Vulcan is so far behind schedule. Buddy, I got news for you, LM and BA know EXACTLY what they are doing with Vulcan: Get the USAF to give them more money to accelerate Vulcan development. What are you going to do, penalize them and give SpaceX even more of a monopoly?

Is it a delay tactic to extort more money from the government, or is Boeing's space division every bit as much of a hot mess as BCA? I haven't really paid much attention to the development of space aircraft.

[Screw_Michigan]

Is it a delay tactic to extort more money from the government, or is Boeing's space division every bit as much of a hot mess as BCA? I haven't really paid much attention to the development of space aircraft.

Good question. From my jizzmopping experience, BA and LM never do anything by accident or chance. Vulcan is not behind schedule because ULA can't get it together. They probably stuck to Blue Origin's wagon too long and probably should have kicked Blue Origin out of the engine development effort when it became clear that it was going to take longer than expected. BA and LM and thus ULA are also the masters of cost plus contracting. They don't do anything for the benefit of DoD without getting DoD to pay them first.

As said in Goodfellas: Fuck you, pay me.

To answer your question, I think Boeing Defense and Space is much less of a hot mess than BCA. Mostly because there's lots of competition for the spaces BDS plays in. Not so much with BCA, where it's them and Airbus and that's it. but BDS has had lots of issues itself over the years with KC-46 and aggressively underbidding on fixed price programs but failing to live up to those high standards for financial success.

[StrawMan]

Good points above! I'm no expert on the woes of Boeing and our space programs. Strictly an enthusiast...

My main concerns are Boeing's questionable design decisions, numerous budget busting gremlins, and shitty quality control.

We very well could lose the crew on this flight, followed by NASA's typical bullshit, "Going to space is HARD. Let's honor our heroes"

[88BuckeyeGrad]

The mission is very important. We haven't invented something like Tang in 50+ years. We just have to keep pouring money into human space travel and new weapon systems. Otherwise Russia might figure out a way to transport its incredibly effective military machine to the U.S. border and then launch a Gaza Strip-wide invasion somewhere along the Jersey shore. Think about it.

[Screw_Michigan]

We very well could lose the crew on this flight, followed by NASA's typical bullshit, "Going to space is HARD. Let's honor our heroes"

You are obviously very knowledgeable about how NASA works. But I highly doubt we'll lose the crew on this flight. We've (humans) have been flying crew to ISS forever and the US has been doing it for years now, even if just on SpaceX rockets. Losing crew on this mission would just be an utter calamity for Boeing.

[Screw_Michigan]

The mission is very important. We haven't invented something like Tang in 50+ years. We just have to keep pouring money into human space travel and new weapon systems. Otherwise Russia might figure out a way to transport its incredibly effective military machine to the U.S. border and then launch a Gaza Strip-wide invasion somewhere along the Jersey shore. Think about it.

You consistently raise the bar for conservative nuttiness. Congrats.

[StrawMan]

We very well could lose the crew on this flight, followed by NASA's typical bullshit, "Going to space is HARD. Let's honor our heroes"

You are obviously very knowledgeable about how NASA works. But I highly doubt we'll lose the crew on this flight. We've (humans) have been flying crew to ISS forever and the US has been doing it for years now, even if just on SpaceX rockets. Losing crew on this mission would just be an utter calamity for Boeing.

Hope you're right. Call me crazy, but I've actually lost sleep over this. It's definitely NOT something I want to be "right" on...

The NASA bureaucrats are sold on the idea that we "need" two spacecraft subcontractors to shuttle astronauts back & forth to the ISS. Have we EVER wasted so much on redundant platforms? Only for Boeing. Were there two Apollo programs in case one failed? Two competing space shuttles? Hell no. SpaceX is in the middle of its EIGHTH crewed ISS mission, while Boeing has been paid almost twice as much, only to fall all over themselves. Starliner should have been shitcanned years ago. Good money after bad.

[Screw_Michigan]

Hope you're right. Call me crazy, but I've actually lost sleep over this. It's definitely NOT something I want to be "right" on...

The NASA bureaucrats are sold on the idea that we "need" two spacecraft subcontractors to shuttle astronauts back & forth to the ISS. Have we EVER wasted so much on redundant platforms? Only for Boeing. Were there two Apollo programs in case one failed? Two competing space shuttles? Hell no. SpaceX is in the middle of its EIGHTH crewed ISS mission, while Boeing has been paid almost twice as much, only to fall all over themselves. Starliner should have been shitcanned years ago. Good money after bad.

I think it's less about NASA bureaucrats sold on that idea but instead CONGRESS who insists on having two contractors for commercial crew. Congress ultimately runs NASA. That's how we got SLS. Congress insists on having two contractors to keep the money flowing to Boeing for all those jobs in key districts.

And ultimately, if we don't have two contractors delivering crew to ISS, who's going to do it if SpaceX can't? Russia. Would you want that? Yes, SpaceX has been performing almost flawlessly but that doesn't mean something might happen in the future where we might need a second launch provider. And there are no allies who currently have this capability.

[StrawMan]

Good point re Russia as the only back up plan. Not optimal.

That hasn't stopped Congress and NASA from sending millions to Russia since the shuttle program was shut down, though.

[Screw_Michigan]

Good point re Russia as the only back up plan. Not optimal.

That hasn't stopped Congress and NASA from sending millions to Russia since the shuttle program was shut down, though.

I think much of that was due to necessity. Until SpaceX came around, and even after it first did, ULA used a Russian rocket engine, the RD-180, it its most used launch vehicle, the Atlas V. It wasn't until Russia invaded Crimea when John McCain made it his personal vendetta to get ULA and the US off the RD-180.

Also, we didn't have any way to get to ISS without using the Russian Soyuz for years. In fact I believe we were using it until something like 2018.

[JPGettysburg]

The military under the Trump administration cut off the proverbial head of ISIS.
President trump's "he died like a dog" was brilliant.

The fake news media immediately lied and said President trump doesn't like dogs.

But in reality, he knew that these Muslim terrorists hate dogs. So to insult them and degrade our enemies further, he associated them with the very things they hate.
Absolutely brilliant.

The left plays nice with our enemies. Which is why the current administration has been funding Iran.
And the world is in utter chaos again.

A wise man once said,

"Peace through strength"

"Destroy your enemies, or they will surely destroy you"

[Rootbeer]

The OP is one of the funniest things I've read in a while. I loves me some high level UBB code work.

:clap:

[Screw_Michigan]

FUBAR is my favorite acronym. I try to use it as much as possible in daily conversation.

[JPGettysburg]

FUBAR is my favorite acronym. I try to use it as much as possible in daily conversation.

After the first debate in June, you'll be using it non-stop about your candidate.

[HighPlainsGrifter]

FUBAR is my favorite acronym. I try to use it as much as possible in daily conversation.

After the first debate in June, you'll be using it non-stop about your candidate.

You could shut the fuck up once in a while. Just saying. It's an option.

[Screw_Michigan]

You could shut the fuck up once in a while. Just saying. It's an option.

He's the only poster here I have on ignore. I recommend it.

[88BuckeyeGrad]

The mission is very important. We haven't invented something like Tang in 50+ years. We just have to keep pouring money into human space travel and new weapon systems. Otherwise Russia might figure out a way to transport its incredibly effective military machine to the U.S. border and then launch a Gaza Strip-wide invasion somewhere along the Jersey shore. Think about it.

You consistently raise the bar for conservative nuttiness. Congrats.

Impressive retort. Is there anything important in this mission? Do we need more military weapons? Could Russia (or China) invade the continental US (aside from the thousands we let walk into the country through our southern border with Mexico)?

[JPGettysburg]

The mission is very important. We haven't invented something like Tang in 50+ years. We just have to keep pouring money into human space travel and new weapon systems. Otherwise Russia might figure out a way to transport its incredibly effective military machine to the U.S. border and then launch a Gaza Strip-wide invasion somewhere along the Jersey shore. Think about it.

You consistently raise the bar for conservative nuttiness. Congrats.

Impressive retort. Is there anything important in this mission? Do we need more military weapons? Could Russia (or China) invade the continental US (aside from the thousands we let walk into the country through our southern border with Mexico)?

Talking about the open borders with a leftist?

[Screw_Michigan]

Impressive retort. Is there anything important in this mission? Do we need more military weapons? Could Russia (or China) invade the continental US (aside from the thousands we let walk into the country through our southern border with Mexico)?

if you even had your head partially removed from your ass, you'd know the US gets lots of important scientific capability from its participation in the ISS mission, something it has been contributing to for 25+ years. But go ahead, keep smashing your dickbeaters on your keyboard and humiliating yourself.

The One–Year Mission helped identify and reduce the biomedical risks astronauts face during longer space exploration, a stepping stone to future missions to deep space.

Wow, what a horrible space weapon-developing mission. Cancel it. What a waste. Sincerely, 88braincells

[HighPlainsGrifter]

I don't understand what is so complicated about going to space. We went to the moon on the first try and never had a failed attempt. Let's just do that again.

[Sudden Sam]

…the US gets lots of important scientific capability from its participation in the ISS mission, something it has been contributing to for 25+ years.

I’m constantly trying to make people aware of all the products and benefits we reap from our space program.

NASA needs a better PR branch.

https://technology.nasa.gov/spinoff-2024

[Sudden Sam]

…the US gets lots of important scientific capability from its participation in the ISS mission, something it has been contributing to for 25+ years.

I’m constantly trying to make people aware of all the products and benefits we reap from our space program.

NASA needs a better PR branch.

https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

https://technology.nasa.gov/spinoff-2024

[Roach]

Screwy, I read (from an un-named source) that per pound or kilo fukking gram, SpaceX gets shit into orbit at one-tenth the cost of nasa. And no overruns.

Is the Artemis program as bloated? Prolly a dumb question but you obviously know know some stuff...

Clown show 452b: the feds running the space program

[Screw_Michigan]

Screwy, I read (from an un-named source) that per pound or kilo fukking gram, SpaceX gets shit into orbit at one-tenth the cost of nasa. And no overruns.

Doesn't surprise me. Once SpaceX started reusing boosters, the price reductions started exponentially. NASA also hasn't been delivering anything with its own rockets since Shuttle was retired in 2012.

I'm not sure about Artemis. I don't jizzmop space as much as I used to.

This is what I find so fascinating about space policy. It doesn't fall neatly along partisan lines. There are Democrats who are all about free market capitalism and think NASA should basically outsource everything to the private sector. Then you get "conservatives" like the now retired Richard Shelby who were big government porksters who thought NASA should do everything.

[Screw_Michigan]

I don't understand what is so complicated about going to space. We went to the moon on the first try and never had a failed attempt. Let's just do that again.

But should we return to the moon? We already did that. I'm not saying you're wrong. But that's the argument. Why go back to the moon when we've already been there? Shouldn't we break new ground?

I think a lot of that answer is China is going to the moon.

[JPGettysburg]

I don't understand what is so complicated about going to space. We went to the moon on the first try and never had a failed attempt. Let's just do that again.

But should we return to the moon? We already did that. I'm not saying you're wrong. But that's the argument. Why go back to the moon when we've already been there? Shouldn't we break new ground?

I think a lot of that answer is China is going to the moon.

Break new ground?



In case you haven't noticed, humans are fragile.
We're not going anywhere anytime soon.

[Softball Bat]

I don't understand what is so complicated about going to space. We went to the moon on the first try and never had a failed attempt. Let's just do that again.

NAZA claims they *discarded* the hardware that was used to get to the m00n.


Fifty years ago, the pioneering Apollo program, which landed astronauts on the moon for the first time,
ended and NASA subsequently discarded much of the hardware that was used. Now, the space agency is
preparing to go to the moon again but experts told Newsweek that just because we've been before, doesn't
necessarily mean that we can get there again...

https://www.newsweek.com/nasa-discarded ... on-1739500







#buy
#the
#brooklyn
#bridge

[JPGettysburg]

Think about this, and be incredibly humbled.

Over half a century ago, we put a man on the moon.
Since that time, computer technology has grown exponentially.
Is it true that an acre of buildings in 69', housing the most sophisticated computing powerr on earth, was less impressive than the I phone 15?

So it stands to reason that even with all the incredible advances in technology, we ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

Humble pie.

[88BuckeyeGrad]

I’m a patent attorney and before that was a research chemist. I’ve spent my life on the cutting edge of science. Obviously, if you blow billions trying to send humans to Mars etc, you are going to have to innovate. But for what purpose? We don’t need to know how to maintain humans in deep space. There isn’t anything nearby worth the effort to go explore. It’s just a colossal waste of money.

The space effort is primarily an excuse to develop more lethal weapon systems, which no reputable jizz mopper should pimp. What the U.S. blows in military spending each year is an absolute crime, particularly when you consider how badly we treat the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

[Softball Bat]

What the U.S. blows in military spending each year is an absolute crime, particularly when you consider how badly we treat the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

True.

[mvscal]

I’m a patent attorney and before that was a research chemist. I’ve spent my life on the cutting edge of science. Obviously, if you blow billions trying to send humans to Mars etc, you are going to have to innovate. But for what purpose? We don’t need to know how to maintain humans in deep space. There isn’t anything nearby worth the effort to go explore. It’s just a colossal waste of money.

You have a very limited and perhaps even nonexistent imagination. People like you have been left in the dust scratching your head at every meaningful advancement in human innovation.

[88BuckeyeGrad]

You have a very limited and perhaps even nonexistent imagination. People like you have been left in the dust scratching your head at every meaningful advancement in human innovation.

Probably.

[StrawMan]

What the U.S. blows in military spending each year is an absolute crime, particularly when you consider how badly we treat the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

RACK. This deserves its own thread.

[StrawMan]

I think a lot of that answer is China is going to the moon.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

[Softball Bat]

I think a lot of that answer is China is going to the moon.

- Wolfie

[StrawMan]

Boeing’s Starliner is set to Launch May 06, err May 10, umm May 17, err May 21, 2024.

Bzzzzzzrrrrrrrtttttt... try again.

NASA, Boeing Now Working Toward May 25 Launch of Crew Flight Test

NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) teams will take additional time to work through spacecraft closeout processes and flight rationale before proceeding with the launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The teams now are targeting a launch no earlier than 3:09 p.m. EDT Saturday, May 25, for the flight test carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station.

. . .

https://blogs.nasa.gov/boeing-crew-flight-test/

[HighPlainsGrifter]

Suni Williams to the International Space Station.

I looked her up. 58 years old, looks like she's been doing speed tests without a wind screen. Would not want to see her in high G.