Unmanned flight paves the way for crew missions
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft lands at the White Sands Missile Range spacecraft on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s orbital-2 flight test (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second unmanned flight test on the International Space Station as part of NASA’s commercial crew program. The OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of system capabilities. Photo credit: (NASA / Bill Ingalls)
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft landed on the U.S. Army’s White Sands missile field in New Mexico at 5:49 p.m., Central Time. The safe return to Earth is close to the success of the end-to-end unmanned orbital flight test that was conducted to demonstrate the quality and performance of the transport system before manned flights.
“We had an excellent flight test of a complex system that we hoped to learn along the way and we did,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program director for Boeing’s commercial crew program. “Thanks to NASA and Boeing teammates who have put so much of themselves into Starliner.”
The completed flight test began today, May 19, with a launch from Cape Canaveral Florida Space Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The capabilities demonstrated by the Starliner included:
- End-to-end performance of the Atlas V rocket and the Starliner spacecraft by launching, ascending, orbiting, re-entering, and landing;
- Starliner’s standalone software and the in-orbit operation of its avionics system, docking system, communications / telemetry systems, environmental control systems, solar arrays, power systems, and propulsion systems;
- Ability to maintain a docking attitude, receive orders from the space station crew, and command detentions and withdrawals during the final approach to the station;
- Battery charging, hatch opening and closing, establishing joint ventilation with the station, file transfer and charge transfer.
By the time Starliner completes its next flight, Boeing will have met NASA’s goal of having two commercial vehicles to transport astronauts safely, reliably and sustainably to the station from US soil.
“With the completion of the OFT-2, we will incorporate the lessons learned and continue to work to prepare for the manned flight test and NASA certification,” Nappi added.
WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO, May 25, 2022
Related articles
Previous articleFirst Scheduled first flight with the new Airbus A320neo from Düsseldorf to Mallorca