Boeing Orbital Flight Test

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#1 Boeing Orbital Flight Test

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December 20, 2019
RELEASE 19-102
NASA Statement on Boeing Orbital Flight Test
NASA Associate Administrator for Communications Bettina Inclán, NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Nicole Mann, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, United Launch Alliance President and CEO Tory Bruno, Boeing Space and Launch Division Senior Vice President Jim Chilton, NASA Commercial Crew Program Deputy Manager Steve Stich, and NASA ISS Program Manager Kirk Shireman, participate in a press conference following the launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.<br />Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky
NASA Associate Administrator for Communications Bettina Inclán, NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Nicole Mann, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, United Launch Alliance President and CEO Tory Bruno, Boeing Space and Launch Division Senior Vice President Jim Chilton, NASA Commercial Crew Program Deputy Manager Steve Stich, and NASA ISS Program Manager Kirk Shireman, participate in a press conference following the launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky
19-102.jpg (154.53 KiB) Viewed 2832 times


NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine released the following statement regarding the Boeing Orbital Flight test:

“I am incredibly proud of the NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance teams and their ongoing work in a dynamic situation to ensure the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is safe on its Orbital Flight Test. The teams continue their work to meet as many mission objectives as possible and return safely to Earth. We continue to gather critical data that will help us ensure safety and reliability for future human space flight missions.

“Early this morning, NASA and Boeing successfully launched Starliner on the first human-rated United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida.

“The plan was for Starliner to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station and return home safely to Earth. While a lot of things went right, the uncrewed spacecraft did not reach the planned orbit and will not dock to the International Space Station.

“This is in fact why we test. Teams worked quickly to ensure the spacecraft was in a stable orbit and preserved enough fuel to ensure a landing opportunity.

“Boeing, in coordination with NASA, is working to return Starliner to White Sands, New Mexico, Sunday.

“At NASA we do really difficult things, and we do them all the time. I spoke to Vice President Pence, Chairman of the National Space Council, and he remains very optimistic in our ability to safely launch American astronauts from American soil. We remain positive even though we did face challenges today. We’ll be getting a lot more data in the coming days.

“One of the biggest successes today was watching NASA, Boeing, ULA teams work to make the right decisions for our astronauts and country. We will continue to share information. It’s in the interest of the nation. We’ll share data as soon as possible.”

To watch the full postlaunch news conference, visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/2Z6GbeG

For more information about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/crew

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#2 Re: Boeing Orbital Flight Test

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December 21, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY M19-142
NASA, Boeing to Provide Update on Starliner Orbital Flight Test Status

NASA and Boeing will host a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EST Saturday, Dec. 21, to discuss the status of the Boeing Orbital Flight Test, and the test objectives that have been, and are expected to be, accomplished related to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Audio of the teleconference will stream live online at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

The uncrewed Boeing Starliner spacecraft launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a flight test to the International Space Station. The Starliner did not reach the planned orbit and will not dock to the space station. Teams worked quickly to ensure the spacecraft was in a stable orbit and preserved enough fuel for a landing opportunity. Boeing, in coordination with NASA, is working to return Starliner to land in White Sands, New Mexico, on Sunday, Dec. 22.

Participants in the briefing will be:

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
Jim Chilton, senior vice president of Boeing’s Space and Launch Division
Steve Stich, deputy manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

To participate in the teleconference, media must contact Karen Northon at karen.northon@nasa.gov by 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, for dial-in information.

To watch Friday’s full postlaunch news conference, visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/2Z6GbeG

For more information about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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#3 Re: Boeing Orbital Flight Test

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December 22, 2019
RELEASE 19-101
NASA, Boeing Complete Successful Landing of Starliner Flight Test
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is seen after it landed in White Sands, New Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. The landing completes an abbreviated Orbital Flight Test for the company that still meets several mission objectives for NASA’s Commercial Crew program. The Starliner spacecraft launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.<br /><br />Credits: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is seen after it landed in White Sands, New Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. The landing completes an abbreviated Orbital Flight Test for the company that still meets several mission objectives for NASA’s Commercial Crew program. The Starliner spacecraft launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Credits: NASA/Bill Ingalls
19-101.jpg (13.32 KiB) Viewed 2829 times

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft completed the first land touchdown of a human-rated capsule in U.S. history Sunday at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, wrapping up the company’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Starliner settled gently onto its airbags at 7:58 a.m. EST (5:58 a.m. MST) in a pre-dawn landing that helps set the stage for future crewed landings at the same site. The landing followed a deorbit burn at 7:23 a.m., separation of the spacecraft’s service module, and successful deployment of its three main parachutes and six airbags.

“Congratulations to the NASA and Boeing teams on a bullseye landing of the Starliner. The hardest parts of this orbital flight test were successful,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “This is why we conduct these tests, to learn and improve our systems. The information gained from this first mission of Starliner will be critical in our efforts to strengthen NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and return America’s human spaceflight capability.”

Although Starliner did not reach its planned orbit and dock to the International Space Station as planned, Boeing was able to complete a number of test objectives during the flight related to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, including:
  • Successful launch of the first human-rated United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket
  • Checked out the Starliner propulsion systems
  • Tested space-to-space communications
  • Confirmed Starliner tracker alignments using its navigation system
  • Tested Starliner’s NASA Docking System
  • Validated all environment control and life support systems
  • Completed a positive command uplink between the International Space Station and Starliner
“Today’s successful landing of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is a testament to the women and men who have dedicated themselves to ensuring Starliner can safely transport crews to low-Earth orbit and back to Earth,” said Boeing Senior Vice President of Space and Launch Jim Chilton. “The Starliner Orbital Flight Test has and will continue to provide incredibly valuable data that we, along with the NASA team, will use to support future Starliner missions launched from and returning to American soil.”

The Starliner that landed today will be refurbished for Boeing’s first operational crewed mission, following the Crew Flight Test. NASA astronaut Suni Williams, who will fly on that mission, dubbed the spacecraft “Calypso” after the ship of famed explorer Jacques Cousteau.

“I love what the ocean means to this planet,” said Williams. “We would not be this planet without the ocean. There’s so much to discover in the ocean, and there’s so much to discover in space.”

The uncrewed Starliner spacecraft launched on the ULA Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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