this is starting to feel like the Thai cave rescue scenario – oddly Elon is involved in both.
i don’t begin to understand the details, but there’s enough reasonable doubt about Starliner’s safe return that SpaceX is under strong consideration as an alternative to bring the two astronauts current emplaced at ISS home.
This gives me much hope:
Valeri Polyakov - Wikipedia
I knew the Russians had some astronauts up there for a long time. It looks like 437 days is the record.
Bring 'em back.
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
In the BBC article they mention that NASA is looking at the option to return the capsule by computer control, so I assume (because NASA are pretty smart and risk averse) that the software to undock is able to be set in place.
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
In the BBC article they mention that NASA is looking at the option to return the capsule by computer control, so I assume (because NASA are pretty smart and risk averse) that the software to undock is able to be set in place.
I believe it’s Boeing, not NASA. And if they had the software, why wasn’t it already loaded?
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
In the BBC article they mention that NASA is looking at the option to return the capsule by computer control, so I assume (because NASA are pretty smart and risk averse) that the software to undock is able to be set in place.
I believe it’s Boeing, not NASA. And if they had the software, why wasn’t it already loaded?
Boeing is just a contractor, NASA runs the show s my take per BBC :“Ken Bowersox, Nasa’s director of space operations, told reporters the chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two.â€
“That’s why we’re looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it,” he said.”"
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
In the BBC article they mention that NASA is looking at the option to return the capsule by computer control, so I assume (because NASA are pretty smart and risk averse) that the software to undock is able to be set in place.
I believe it’s Boeing, not NASA. And if they had the software, why wasn’t it already loaded?
Boeing is just a contractor, NASA runs the show s my take per BBC :“Ken Bowersox, Nasa’s director of space operations, told reporters the chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two.â€
“That’s why we’re looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it,” he said.”"
Boeing built it. It’s their certification flight. The blame for this whole mess lies squarely at their feet.
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
In the BBC article they mention that NASA is looking at the option to return the capsule by computer control, so I assume (because NASA are pretty smart and risk averse) that the software to undock is able to be set in place.
I believe it’s Boeing, not NASA. And if they had the software, why wasn’t it already loaded?
Boeing is just a contractor, NASA runs the show s my take per BBC :“Ken Bowersox, Nasa’s director of space operations, told reporters the chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two.â€
“That’s why we’re looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it,” he said.”"
Boeing built it. It’s their certification flight. The blame for this whole mess lies squarely at their feet.
I don’t think there is any disagreement on that point but the return of the 2 crew members is under the NASA umbrella. Nothing happens without NASA approval I am sure. But I agree with you, as the contractor Boeing is at fault and I would expect NASA to hold them to account. Right now I assume the main item on the agenda is getting the crew back to earth, then figuring out what to do with the Starliner.
Something I heard recently in an interview is that Boeing is also delaying the return because they’re are trying to figure out why several of the helium thrusters have developed leaks, and that portion of Starliner will be destroyed on reentry so they’re trying to figure it out before they lose that chance. The person making that statement, and I don’t recall who it was, mentioned that they probably will end up bringing the astronauts back on a different vehicle and that Starliner will return uncrewed, but that Boeing is pushing to delay the return as long as they can, or at least until they learn as much as possible while it’s still docked at ISS. Again, I don’t recall who the interviewee was or what specific access/knowledge he has so take the above with that in mind.
Something I heard recently in an interview is that Boeing is also delaying the return because they’re are trying to figure out why several of the helium thrusters have developed leaks, and that portion of Starliner will be destroyed on reentry so they’re trying to figure it out before they lose that chance. The person making that statement, and I don’t recall who it was, mentioned that they probably will end up bringing the astronauts back on a different vehicle and that Starliner will return uncrewed, but that Boeing is pushing to delay the return as long as they can, or at least until they learn as much as possible while it’s still docked at ISS. Again, I don’t recall who the interviewee was or what specific access/knowledge he has so take the above with that in mind.
At this point, I don’t see the point in this. In all probability, Starliner will never fly again.
… figuring out what to do with the Starliner.
They could leave it connected to the ISS and use it for a game room, a crafting room, a Mother-in-law suite, something like that?
… figuring out what to do with the Starliner.
They could leave it connected to the ISS and use it for a game room, a crafting room, a Mother-in-law suite, something like that?
that might be a good suggestion to NASA, how many docking stations does the ISS have? Maybe they could use it as a time out room or an escape room…
It’s like the SS Minnow, two passengers set out for an 8 day tour, an 8 day tour.
And the worst part is they can’t even undock the Starliner without astronauts because they never uploaded the software. Even though they have the software because they used in a previous test. And even if they had the software, with the malfunctions they might not even be able to guarantee it won’t crash into the ISS.
In the BBC article they mention that NASA is looking at the option to return the capsule by computer control, so I assume (because NASA are pretty smart and risk averse) that the software to undock is able to be set in place.
I believe it’s Boeing, not NASA. And if they had the software, why wasn’t it already loaded?
Its not that simple. The computer is a pair or three of rad hardened processors, and the operating system and software are real time. They don’t keep code in there that won’t be used on a mission.
I don’t work there. From what I’ve heard the first flight of Starliner, the one that too was plagued with problems, had autonomous docking and undocking procedures. But the software was so faulty they had to rewrite some of it. Since then it was decided that astronaut inputs would be in the control loop so the old software for autonomous docking was removed in lie of new code. Now they are wary of simply falling back to 2 year old software. Guessing someone is burning midnight oil to validate and possibly update that code.
There is currently a Soyuz capsule stationed at the ISS for emergencies. The Googles do not say why the Starliner crew cannot use it to return home.
There is currently a Soyuz capsule stationed at the ISS for emergencies. The Googles do not say why the Starliner crew cannot use it to return home.
maybe they don’t want to go bouncing across the frozen tundra, but would rather wait until a nice ocean splash down can be had…of course a second thought may be that no US citizen would want to land in Russia right now.
There is currently a Soyuz capsule stationed at the ISS for emergencies. The Googles do not say why the Starliner crew cannot use it to return home.
maybe they don’t want to go bouncing across the frozen tundra, but would rather wait until a nice ocean splash down can be had…of course a second thought may be that no US citizen would want to land in Russia right now.
Good point. I didn’t think that the return routing would be hard coded to head back to mother Russia.
… Then, they get imprisoned as spies, and there’s a prisoner exchange, and …
There is currently a Soyuz capsule stationed at the ISS for emergencies. The Googles do not say why the Starliner crew cannot use it to return home.
Only seats 3 and even then it’s tight. It’s not like these new capsules that have relatively lots of room. They are not going to leave the Russian astronauts stranded, so highly unlikely. And they don’t have spacesuits for them.
There is currently a Soyuz capsule stationed at the ISS for emergencies. The Googles do not say why the Starliner crew cannot use it to return home.
It’s a lifeboat for the ISS crew. Also crew rotations are planned in advance they know exactly who is going to use that Soyuz to return to Earth and when. They would then be stranded instead. Roscosmos is in shambles they can’t just deliver an extra Soyuz on short notice. You wouldn’t want them to anyway.