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May 31, 2024

The Stage Is Set For Starliner’s Crewed Flight Test Tomorrow

“We’ll fly when we’re ready.”

Those words by the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Steve Stich, earlier this spring have hovered over the launch campaign of Boeing’s Crewed Flight Test for several weeks now.

They’ve been a guiding principle for the launch and spacecraft teams, and NASA and astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, and now, all parties agree that they’re ready to fly.

With that, the launch of Atlas V carrying Starliner to low-Earth orbit and eventually the International Space Station with Wilmore and Williams aboard is set for 12:26 PM EDT on Saturday June 1st.

The faulty valve in the second stage Centuar II of Atlas V has been replaced, and that problem closed out.

Engineers, scientists, and mission managers have analyzed the helium leak in Starliner discovered after the Centaur valve issue; the rate of loss was calculated and deemed safe for flight, and it will be monitored throughout the mission in case further intervention is required.

Mark Nappi, Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president and program manager for the company’s commercial crew program said earlier today that, “The teams are on station and they’re monitoring the spacecraft as we sit here and talk to you.”

“They reported this morning at 03:30 [AM EDT], powered up the vehicle, and have been a continuous monitoring mode and will continue to work the launch preps and the launch countdown leading up until tomorrow morning at 04:00 AM when the launch team will come in and start supporting the mission. So far, there’s been no issues that we’ve been working with the spacecraft, so all is going well,” Nappi added.

Regarding the Helium issue that caused the lengthy May delay, Nappi was unequivocal: “It’s really just a matter of safety. When we looked at this problem, it didn’t come down to making trades; it came down to whether it was safe or not. And it is safe. That’s why we determined that we could go fly with what we have.”

Steve Stich added insight behind the determination. “There’s about 50 pounds of helium on board,” he said. “And this leak, if it was left open to vent, all the time, it would lose about a half a pound a day. So there’s plenty of margin left over.”

Weather Is A Slight Concern

Weather may be a concern for tomorrow. Mark Burger, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station gave a 90% probability of acceptable weather, with a caveat. There is one watch item,” he said, “And that is the local winds. It’s already turning breezy out of there with sort of a stiff onshore flow, and that’s what we’ll be monitoring for tomorrow as well.”

Burger added, “Again, [we’re] not considering any rain or thunderstorms, maybe a few clouds, bu not anything concerning for us. The winds will be a little feisty tomorrow not only in terms of the magnitude of the winds, but also the direction of the winds. [There will be] a pretty good onshore component, nearly perpendicular to the coast. That tightens or restricts us just a little bit in terms of favorability. But again, now, winds, as you know, are a highly variable factor both in time and space. So hopefully we’ll be able to to get off without a hitch.”

Keep up with launch news and other space events that affect the local area by subscribing to alerts when we publish a new article by entering your email at the link at the bottom of this page, or by visiting Space Talk here on the website. It’s free, and you can cancel at any time.

May 29, 2024

Starliner Rolling Back To The Launch Pad Tomorrow, Currently Go For Saturday Launch

After three weeks of analysis and discussion between Boeing, NASA, and United Launch Alliance following the May 8, 2024 scrub, Boeing’s long road to lofting crew aboard Starliner to low-Earth orbit will take a step towards launching. Liftoff of Atlas V and Starliner is scheduled for 12:25 PM EDT, Saturday, June 1st, from Space Launch Complex 41.

On May 22, Steve Stich, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program said, “There has been a great deal of exceptional analysis and testing over the last two weeks by the joint NASA, Boeing, and ULA teams to replace the Centaur Self Regulating Valve and troubleshoot the Starliner Service Module helium manifold leak.”

He added, “It has been important that we take our time to understand all the complexities of each issue including the redundant capabilities of the Starliner propulsion system and any implications to our Interim Human Rating Certification. We will launch Butch and Suni on this test mission after the entire community has reviewed the teams’ progress and flight rationale at the upcoming Delta Agency Flight Test Readiness Review.”

That Flight Readiness Review was completed today, and all parties agreed that Starliner is “go” for liftoff.

Should weather or technical issues cause a scrub on Saturday, backup launch opportunities are available on Sunday, June 2, Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.

Starliner CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Kennedy Space Center yesterday, and will be completing their final preparations in anticipation of Saturday’s liftoff while they remain in quarantine at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building.

According to a NASA press release issued today, “During a Delta-Agency Flight Test Readiness Review Wednesday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, leaders from NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) verified launch readiness, including all systems, facilities, and teams supporting the test flight.”

The first step in the final phases of the launch campaign is to move the Atlas V launch vehicle with Starliner back to the launch pad from ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility, located about 1,800′ south of the pad. The journey is slated to about ninety minutes and is scheduled to start at 10 AM EDT, Thursday, May 30.

May 21, 2024

Starliner CFT Delayed, Again. No New Launch Date Set

Late this evening, NASA released a statement to credentialed media saying that the oft-delayed Starliner Crewed Flight Test will not launch on May 25th as planned.

NASA, Boeing, and ULA are foregoing the Saturday, May 25 launch attempt for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The team has been in meetings for two consecutive days, assessing flight rationale, system performance, and redundancy. There is still forward work in these areas, and the next possible launch opportunity is still being discussed.

NASA will share more details once we have a clearer path forward.

This mission has been delayed several times after the first launch attempt was scrubbed on May 6, 2024 due to a faulty valve on the second stage of Atlas V. The rocket was taken off its launch pad and moved back to ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility at SLC-41 where repairs were effected.

A Helium leak was discovered in the Starliner service module during that repair period, and mission managers have been apparently assessing the problem since then with no conclusion reached. There is no word — as of yet — as to whether Starliner will be de-stacked from the Atlas V rocket slated to carry it to orbit and the leaky seal repaired, or whether it will be deemed acceptable and the flight allowed to be launched with Starliner as-is.

That conclusion must be reached before a potential new launch date can be determined. If Starliner requires repair, it will likely take some time, likely best measured in weeks. If it is decided that the vehicle can fly as-is, there are potential launch dates on May 28, June 1 and 2, and June 5 and 6, 2024.

May 20, 2024

This Week’s Launches: May 20-26, 2024

The Space Coast could see up to three launches this week: two Starlink launches from SpaceX, and if mission managers accept the current state of Boeing’s Starliner, at long last, the first crewed launch of the vehicle. Here’s a look at the schedule as it currently stands on Monday, May 20, 2024:

Wednesday, May 22: Starlink 6-62

Organization: SpaceX
Rocket: Falcon 9, Block 5
Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Launch Window: 10:33 PM – 02:33 AM EDT
Payload: 23 Starlink Satellites
Booster Return To Launch Site: No

There has been a steady stream of Starlink Group 6 launches over the past several months, and this is another one of them. While the mission may be similar to many other recent launches, every rocket launch is slightly different and worth viewing, so despite the apparent lather-rinse-repeat nature of a Starlink launch by SpaceX, it will be worth viewing.

Thursday, May 23: Starlink 6-63

Organization: SpaceX
Rocket: Falcon 9, Block 5
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
Launch Window: 06:45 PM – 10:45 PM EDT
Payload: 23 Starlink Satellites
Booster Return To Launch Site: No

This launch may be interesting, especially if it launches at the beginning of the window or if it is pushed back into the twilight hours of early evening.

If it launches close to the beginning of the planned launch window in the golden light of late afternoon, it will be a gorgeous sight to see, with the rocket illuminated by the yellowish light of the last part of daytime. Playalinda Beach should be open to viewers during that time. Remember that Playalinda has a hard closing time of 8 PM, so if the launch is delayed past then, you will have to leave and find another spot to watch.

If the T-0 for launch is pushed to around 8:30 PM EDT and if skies are clear enough to see the rocket at MECO/Staging, we could see a repeat of the jellyfish phenomenon that wowed launch spectators late last week.

No launch provider plans liftoff based on spectators, however, so if either of those things happens, it will be because SpaceX mission managers have decided that Falcon 9 is ready for flight. That’s as it should be, as spaceflight is not an entertainment business.

Saturday, May 25: Boeing Starliner Crewed Flight Test

Organization: United Launch Alliance, Boeing, NASA
Rocket: ULA Atlas V
Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 41, Kennedy Space Center
Launch Window: ~~3:09 PM EDT. Instantaneous window~~
Payload: Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams
Booster Return To Launch Site: No

This is the most tenuous launch planned for the week. This mission has been delayed several times after the first launch attempt was scrubbed on May 6, 2024 due to a faulty valve on the second stage of Atlas V. The rocket was taken off its launch pad and moved back to ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility at SLC-41 where repairs were effected.

A Helium leak was discovered in the Starliner service module during that repair period, and at the time of this writing, mission managers are evaluating the leak (it is within tolerances) to decide if it is acceptable for flight. Sometime during the week, the results of the analysis will be announced by NASA and Boeing, and the launch schedule for Starliner will become clearer.

If the launch proceeds as scheduled, northern viewpoints in Titusville will be best for spectators if they are not on-site at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center. Playalinda will be closed to spectators as this is a northeastward launch with crew.

Schedule Shifts Possible

Several factors affect launch dates and times: weather, technical readiness and range availability.

There is an old saying in the spaceflight industry: “Hundreds of thousands of things have to go right for their to be a launch, but only one has to go wrong for there to be a scrub.” That and “It’s better to be on the ground fixing a problem rather than wishing you were on the ground fixing a problem.”

In other words, no one launches unless they are certain they are ready. That means scrubs and schedule shifts are very possible, and anyone planning to watch a launch, either in person or online, should be prepared for launch times and shifts. It’s the nature of the business.

You can keep up with the general launch schedule here at Talk of Titusville, as we pass along schedule changes as soon as we know them. On launch day, the launch company’s website is the official source of information and there are several YouTube and X.com streams available that will give you the latest information.

Keep up with launch news and other space events that affect the local area by subscribing to alerts when we publish a new article by entering your email at the link at the bottom of this page, or by visiting Space Talk here on the website. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

May 17, 2024

Starliner Delayed, Now NET May 25

Starliner waits.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

After a day of speculation and probably leaks of the information on background, NASA, Boeing and United Launch Alliance have announced that they are pushing the schedule back another four days for the Crewed Flight Test of Starliner. The launching will be “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,” according to a release from NASA.

As to the reason for the new delay, NASA stated:

“The additional time allows teams to further assess a small helium leak in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Pressure testing performed on May 15 on the spacecraft’s helium system showed the leak in the flange is stable and would not pose a risk at that level during the flight. The testing also indicated the rest of the thruster system is sealed effectively across the entire service module. Boeing teams are working to develop operational procedures to ensure the system retains sufficient performance capability and appropriate redundancy during the flight. As that work proceeds, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and the International Space Station Program will take the next few days to review the data and procedures to make a final determination before proceeding to flight countdown.“

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

Reading between the lines, it seems that the leak has not been repaired but is instead “stable.” NASA and Boeing now have to “assess” whether this is an acceptable condition for flight. That decision will be made in the next few days and then everyone will have a better idea of when Starliner can launch with crew aboard for the first time.

May 14, 2024

Starliner Launch Delayed Again, Now Is NET May 21

The target launch date for Boeing’s oft-delayed CST-100 Starliner capsule has been shifted again. The Crewed Flight Test of the vehicle is now targeted for May 21 at 4:14 PM EDT.

According to Boeing, “Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft’s service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Helium is used in spacecraft thruster systems to allow the thrusters to fire and is not combustible or toxic.”

Atlas V Valve Issue Has Been Repaired

This comes after a scrub on May 6 due to a valve issue with United Launch Alliance’s Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V booster. This necessitated the vehicle being rolled back from the launch pad to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Space Launch Complex 41. Boeing says that the valve repairs on the Centaur stage are now complete, which implies that the sole reason for the new delay is the new issue with Starliner.

“On May 11, the ULA team successfully replaced a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank on the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage. The team also performed re-pressurization and system purges, and tested the new valve, which performed normally,” Boeing said in today’s release.

CFT Astronauts Are Back In Houston

Boeing also says that “NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, still in preflight quarantine, returned to Houston on May 10 to spend extra time with their families as prelaunch operations progress.”

May 12, 2024

SpaceX Launches Starlink 6-58

The view from New York New York in Titusville of tonight’s launch.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

SpaceX placed another twenty-three Starlink Mini V2 satellites in orbit after successfully launching the Starlink 6-58 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this evening.

Liftoff was at 08:53 PM EDT. Around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1073, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. About roughly an hour after liftoff, the satellites were deployed in their intended orbits and the mission deemed a success.

According to Jonathon McDowell,“The reentry of S-2601 earlier today means that there are only 5999 Starlinks in orbit following today’s launch, not 6000 as some were predicting.” Still, 5,999 is an incredible number, with the 6,000 benchmark just over the horizon — SpaceX has Starlink missions slated in the next couple of weeks.

May 6, 2024

Atlas V Valve Issue Scrubs Starliner; Launch Date Now NET May 17

Atlas V in the gloaming earlier this evening at SLC-41.
Photo: NASA

It was all going well until it wasn’t. That’s often the story with launch attempts: tens of thousands of things must work perfectly, perform as planned, and operate normally, and only one thing has to go wrong for the attempt to be called off.

That was the case with United Launch Alliance’s attempt to launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner this evening, and with about two hours left in a smooth-running countdown with astronauts already aboard Starliner, the launch attempt was scrubbed. A faulty valve on the Centaur upper stage of Atlas V malfunctioned, and flight rules dictated that the launch attempt be called off.

UPDATE May 7th 7PM: ULA, Boeing and NASA are now targeting Friday May 17th at 6:16 PM EDT for the next launch attempt of Atlas V and Starliner:

May 6, 2024

ULA Atlas V, Boeing CST-100 Starliner, May 6, 2024

After about a decade of setbacks and challenges, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is set to head to orbit with crew aboard for the first time tomorrow evening. To say that it has been a roller coaster for engineers and managers of the legacy-rich company would be a massive understatement. Still, the mood among the Space Coast workers at Boeing is best described as quietly confident.

May 5, 2024

Atlas V, Starliner Are Ready To Fly Tomorrow

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner “Carlypso” On Top Of Altas V, M ay 5, 2024.
Phtoo: Charles Boyer / ToT

After about a decade of setbacks and challenges, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is set to head to orbit with crew aboard for the first time tomorrow evening. To say that it has been a roller coaster for engineers and managers of the legacy-rich company would be a massive understatement, but the mood among the Space Coast workers at Boeing is best described as quietly confident.