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NASA again delays Boeing Starliner's return home
- meepmorp 2y agoCan't wait for them to declare that starliner is actually the newest ISS module and it ain't coming back.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- belter 2y agoThere is already a module with a leak. They must have understood it as a requirement.
- tekno45 2y ago"just copy the stuff that already worked and made it up"
- cryptonector 2y agoIf the leaks indicate COPV compromise, it could eventually rupture, causing potentially serious damage -- especially if hypergolic fuel tanks are ruptured in the process. On the other hand, if the leaks are at the manifold then starliner might become an ISS module indeed, but taking up an airlock is bad news nonetheless so they would still have to find a way to jettison it.
- dylan604 2y agoI'm waiting for the pics of the upcoming space walk where the astronauts have Starliner up on blocks with the hood open. Maybe another shot of them with crowbars trying to manually pry it off the station. Every single person at Boeing should be full of shame at this entire process. The thing is an utter joke to everyone.
- dylan604 2y agoHow many docking ports are on the ISS? Maybe this is Boeing's way of slowing down Dragon capsule dockings? Or maybe this will be their Apollo 13 version of a successful failure? /s If Crew Dragon needs to be launched to bring back the Starliner's passengers, that should be the final nail in Starliner's coffin. I'm seriously shocked that NASA allowed themselves to be bullied by Boeing to allow this thing to have been launched at all.
- geoffeg 2y ago> Maybe this is Boeing's way of slowing down Dragon capsule dockings? I'm gonna go with Hanlon's razor here. The Starliner team seems to have enough trouble just getting a single Starliner to the ISS without issues, I can't imagine they're capable of devising a malicious plan to interfere with a competitor.
- dylan604 2y agoSorry, I had a /s after the first graph, but lost it in an edit. Of course I don't think that was any where close to actual intent.
- SteveNuts 2y agoMike Mulligan's steam shovel would be proud
- tocs3 2y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mulligan_and_His_Steam_Shovel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mulligan_and_His_Steam_Sh...
- lawlessone 2y agoTo make certification easier they've declared it as a 737. And errors are pilot errors.
- nordsieck 2y ago> Can't wait for them to declare that starliner is actually the newest ISS module and it ain't coming back. I know that's probably a joke, but that would be incredible bad for NASA. There is already strong competition for access to docking ports on the ISS. Losing one would badly complicated logistics on the station.
- whoitwas 2y agoThis is fine.
- system2 2y agoBoeing and its cursed flying machines.
- jjk166 2y agoThey complain about stuff falling out of the sky, they complain about stuff staying up in the sky, there's no pleasing these people!
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- tocs3 2y agoMaybe they should send paddles on the next resupply mission. This is not a new new delay. This is the same delay they announced on the 14th.
- bpodgursky 2y agoSomeone at SpaceX is spending the holiday weekend bolting a row of passenger seats into Dragon.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- emilamlom 2y agoI'm not familiar with what Helium would be used for on the capsule. Is it just used as compressed gas for the thrusters?
- shagie 2y agoPressurizing the tanks. Consider Apollo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_command_and_service_module#Reaction_control_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_command_and_service_mod... > The command module attitude control system consisted of twelve 93-pound-force (410 N) attitude control thrusters, ten of which were located in the aft compartment, plus two in the forward compartment. These were supplied by four tanks storing 270 pounds (120 kg) of monomethylhydrazine fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer, and pressurized by 1.1 pounds (0.50 kg) of helium stored at 4,150 pounds per square inch (28.6 MPa) in two tanks.
- pugworthy 2y agoI believe it's fed into fuel tanks as they are depleted in order to maintain pressure in the tanks. Being inert it doesn't have any impact on subsequent combustion or fuel reaction.
- ballmerspeak 2y agoHelium is used to pressurize hydrogen and other gases to move them through the plumbing. This link says "before takeoff" but its also used after. https://www.uky.edu/~garose/helium#:~:text=Helium%20is%20used%20to%20pressurize,low%20temperature%20of%20liquid%20hydrogen https://www.uky.edu/~garose/helium#:~:text=Helium%20is%20use....
- magicalhippo 2y agoAs far as I understand it, the point isn't just to pressurize the propellant to get it out of the tank and into the engine, but to maintain pressure so that the propellant remains liquid. If the pressure in the tank drops, the propellant would turn into gas which would effectively be lost and potentially dangerous (by allowing flames to go the wrong way). As your link points out, helium is nice because it is inert and remains a gas even at liquid hydrogen temperatures.
- wmf 2y agoNobody's considering that Butch and Suni want to stay in space?
- dylan604 2y agoIt's not like the hotel has a line of guests waiting for their rooms. It's not like it's peak season for ISS travel.
- tempnow987 2y agoMark Nappi, vice president of Boeing's Commercial Crew Program, added, "We have an incredible opportunity to spend more time at station and perform more tests which provides invaluable data unique to our position." Weird they just didn't plan for this incredible opportunity from the start but sounds like they are just taking extra time as an opportunity not because they need to evaluate any safety issues (at least per Boeing).
- bitcharmer 2y agoAt this point I'm very sceptical about anything any Boeing official says.
- dotnet00 2y agoNot allowing the capsule to return saves on the cost of refurbishment and a new service module, another win for Boeing's accountants! /h
- dylan604 2y agoIf it never returns, then it's always rated for 10 return trips.
- mainecoder 2y agoLet's hope it safely returns home, it is becoming quite risky to give legacy makers contracts anymore even ULA which has a good track record of safety is has many tasks being delayed.
- dotnet00 2y agoI think delays, within reason, are not an issue. Delays are very common in spaceflight. As long as they're delivering a high quality product for a decent price, some delays are acceptable. So far, I think ULA has been within reason on that front.
- simonblack 2y ago"Both fish and guests start to get on the nose after 3 days." - Judge Judy