NASA, Boeing Standing Down on Aug. 4 Starliner Launch Attempt from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

By  //  August 4, 2021

Mission teams rolled the Atlas V and Starliner back to the Vertical Integration Facility

SCRUBBED: NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station, the second uncrewed flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, was scrubbed on Tuesday. (NASA image)

(NASA) – NASA and Boeing are standing down from the Wednesday, Aug. 4, launch attempt of the agency’s Orbital Flight Test-2 to the International Space Station as mission teams continue to examine the cause of the unexpected valve position indications on the CST-100 Starliner propulsion system.

Early in the launch countdown for the Aug. 3 attempt, mission teams detected indications that not all valves were in the proper configuration needed for launch. Mission teams decided to halt the countdown to further analyze the issue.

NASA and Boeing worked through several steps to troubleshoot the incorrect valve indications, including cycling the service module propulsion system valves, within the current configuration of the Starliner and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Mission teams have decided to roll the Atlas V and Starliner back to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) for further inspection and testing where access to the spacecraft is available. Boeing will power down the Starliner spacecraft this evening. The move to the VIF is expected to take place as early as tomorrow.

Engineering teams have ruled out a number of potential causes, including software, but additional time is needed to complete the assessment.

NASA and Boeing will take whatever time is necessary to ensure Starliner is ready for its important uncrewed flight test to the space station and will look for the next available opportunity after resolution of the issue.

Starliner will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

About 30 minutes after launch, Starliner will perform its orbital insertion burn to begin its daylong trip to the space station.

Launch and docking coverage can be seen on Space Coast Daily TV.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will carry more than 400 pounds of NASA cargo and crew supplies to the space station.

The spacecraft will carry more than 400 pounds of NASA cargo and crew supplies to the space station.

It will return to Earth with more than 550 pounds of cargo, including the reusable Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System tanks that provide breathable air to station crew members.

OFT-2 will demonstrate the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner spacecraft and Atlas V rocket, from launch, to docking, to a return to Earth with a desert landing in the western United States.

The uncrewed mission will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying Boeing’s crew transportation system for regular flights to and from the space station.

STAY TUNED TO SPACE COAST DAILY FOR UPDATES

HOT OFF THE PRESS! July 26, 2021 Space Coast Daily News – Brevard County’s Best NewspaperRelated Story:
HOT OFF THE PRESS! July 26, 2021 Space Coast Daily News – Brevard County’s Best Newspaper