The New York Times reports that for weeks, NASA has downplayed problems experienced by Starliner, but on Wednesday, NASA officials admitted that the issues might be more serious than first thought and that the astronauts might not return on the Boeing vehicle. “The agency is exploring a backup option for the astronauts, Suni Wiliams and Butch Wilmore, to instead hitch a ride back to Earth on a spacecraft built by Boeing’s competitor SpaceX. The astronauts’ stay in orbit, which was to be as short as eight days, could be extended into next year.”
Full Story (New York Times)
Tag: Barry Wilmore
Boeing Starliner’s First Crewed Test Flight Scheduled for Next Week
Flying Magazine reports, “A historic NASA launch planned for early next week could have major implications for the space agency’s Commercial Crew Program, which ferries astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and low-Earth orbit in partnership with private companies. Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner will finally make its first crewed flight test on Monday. Boeing on Friday confirmed that NASA gave Starliner the ‘go to proceed.’”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
First Boeing Starliner Astronauts, Wilmore and Williams, Ready to Launch to ISS
SPACE reports, “Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams told Space.com and a small group of reporters at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) that they are excited for the first launch of Boeing Starliner, now set to fly to the International Space Station for a roughly 10-day mission set to go no earlier than May 1.”
Full Story (SPACE)
NASA, Boeing Target May 1 for First Crewed Starliner Flight to Space Station
Spaceflight Now reports, “NASA is five weeks away from putting astronauts aboard a new commercial crew capsule. May 1 is the target launch date for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on the Crew Flight Test-1 (CFT-1) mission the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams on board.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)