Boeing’s Starliner Spacecraft Touches Down in New Mexico
Boeing’s Starliner Spacecraft Touches Down in New Mexico
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft completed the first touchdown on land of a human-rated space capsule in U.S. history Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, wrapping up the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Starliner settled gently onto its air bags at 7:58 a.m. EST in a pre-dawn landing that helps set the stage for future crewed landings at the same site. The landing followed a deorbit burn at 7:23 a.m., separation of the spacecraft’s service module, and successful deployment of its three main parachutes and six airbags.
Boeing
Orbital Flight Test
Mission Objectives:
• Demonstrate on-orbit operation of the
-avionics systems
-docking system
-communications/telemetry systems
-environmental control systems (pressure, thermal, humidity, etc.)
-solar arrays and electrical power systems
-propulsion systems
• Demonstrate performance of the Guidance, Navigation and Control systems of the CST-100 and Atlas V through ascent, on-orbit, and reentry
• Determine acoustic and vibration levels, and loads across the CST-100 exterior and interior throughout the mission profile
• Demonstrate launch escape trigger monitoring
• Demonstrate end-to-end operations performance and procedures
The first launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner to the International Space Station will be an uncrewed test flight. Even without a crew, Starliner will attempt to dock to the station to prove out its autonomous mission capability. The other mission objectives are intended to demonstrate all of Starliner’s systems and capabilities, except for those requiring a human on-board to test.
Major highlights include, but are not limited to:
The Spacecraft:
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is a 21st century human space transportation platform optimized for missions to low Earth orbit. In its design, Boeing leveraged decades of heritage in human spaceflight as well as incorporated new technologies to make a safe and reliable vehicle. Starliner’s two main pieces are the crew module and service module, and the crew module is intended to be reused on 10 missions.
The Launch Pad:
Boeing contracted with United Launch Alliance (ULA) for use of their Atlas V rocket for Starliner launches. All ULA Atlas V launches occur from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which directly adjoins NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. ULA and Boeing made several modifications to SLC-41 to accommodate the unique equipment and procedures needed for a human launch. The most noticeable is the crew access tower, crew access arm and emergency egress system, which is to only be used to evacuate crews on the launch pad in the unlikely event of an emergency. This will be the first time humans have flown into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station since the 1960s.
The Rocket:
ULA’s Atlas V is an industry workhorse. Boeing chose the Atlas V for its unparalleled record of mission success. Capable of various configurations, the Atlas V will be in a N22 setup for all Starliner launches. The “N” stands for “no fairing” as the rocket will not have a fairing typically used for uncrewed satellite payloads. The first “2” represents the two solid rocket boosters added to the first stage and the second “2” represents the two engines on the Centaur upper stage.
Operations:
Pre-flight processing, launch, on-orbit, landing and recovery operations are all vital to conduct a successful mission. Boeing’s approach of contracting with ULA for the ride to orbit means the two companies are working closely as they prepare for launch. This requires extensive collaboration and coordination to ensure the rocket and spacecraft will not only be technically and physically compatible, but also that the teams work flawlessly together on launch day. For example, ULA is incorporating crew operations into their pre-launch activities for the first time.
During OFT, Starliner will fly autonomously, dock and undock with the station and return to Earth. Boeing has equipped the spacecraft with parachutes and large airbags to aid in their gentle touchdown on one of five landing sites in the Western United States.