There will always be more fixed price contracts in the future. Every time the barrel emptied in the past, a new barrel full to the brim with pork was delivered.
That bsd analysis. There isnt a magical contract fairy that creates infinite contracts for every company. Yes there are more fixed price contracts, but if you fuck up like Starliner you are less likely to get another one. And even if you could get it. Boeing peadership has clearly stated they are basically not really interested in that anymore. The have lost billions on fixed price contracts in space and military. Bo…
> magical contract fairy
I've never heard anyone call the federal government that.
> Are those on stand-by ready to go? Good News: There's no real risk to them remaining on ISS at this point, short of some major incident on the ISS itself which required immediate evacuation. Less good: Even if Boeing had a spare Starliner (they don't), they don't have a spare rocket to put it on. Even if Boeing had a spare fully stacked Starliner + Rocket, I'm not sure anyone (even Boeing) would trust their process…
Polaris Dawn is supposed to go up next month, and while that mission isn’t going to the station, that capsule has been there multiple times, so I doubt it would need much modification.
For those unaware (like me), Polaris Dawn is a planned private human spaceflight mission, operated by SpaceX and using the Crew Dragon capsule, scheduled to launch on July 12 (according to Wikipedia).
> Boeing has been through hell and back ? Unfortunately, several hundred boeing product users didn't get the opportunity to come back. After the numerous launch scrubs, this one way ticket to the ISS was already a distinct possiblity. Maybe boeing won't be able to bring these astronauts back either. From a wider persoective, this really highlights why human space travel should be minimized. Outside of teenage boy spa…
The fragility of this planet is a very large reason to learn to survive outside of our nest. The more fragile the more important.
Not disagreeing with your point, and admittedly being a little bit pedantic, but I always laugh when people talk about the planet being in danger.
The earth is going to be fine. It’s humans who are in danger.
What's the strategy for getting the astronauts back? Do they jettison the Starliner and dock a different recovery vehicle? Are those on stand-by ready to go?
> Are those on stand-by ready to go? Good News: There's no real risk to them remaining on ISS at this point, short of some major incident on the ISS itself which required immediate evacuation. Less good: Even if Boeing had a spare Starliner (they don't), they don't have a spare rocket to put it on. Even if Boeing had a spare fully stacked Starliner + Rocket, I'm not sure anyone (even Boeing) would trust their process…
>It'd require scrapping the next planned Soyuz mission - it may take several months to get that ready. I believe they have to (and would) have to send it up manned.
Soyuz can be launched to the ISS with no crew. The Russians sent up a Soyuz with no crew a few years ago when the Soyuz they used to get up there stared leaking.
I'm fascinated about starliner strictly from a project management perspective. This is such a comprehensive failure from top to bottom between the delays, test failures, and hand waved requirements yet there still seems to be a contingent of boosters from both leadership and the customer. Usually I'm the guy who gets called in to rescue a spiraling project and if I was in aerospace, I dont even know where I would beg…
Boeing is too-big-to-fail in both civilian air travel and military procurement. They know they don’t have to give a shit, because the Federal government will always give them a slap on the wrist and another chance. They’ve literally forgotten how to compete deliver a working product on schedule, because for generations nobody has required them to do so.
Worst case, they could always use the other capsule that's docked to the ISS right now to get back. Though that would leave the current crew stranded up there until a replacement spacecraft can be sent. That takes several months. This has happened before. The Soyuz docked to the ISS in Dec 2022 was damaged by a micrometeorite strike and was deemed unsafe, leaving that crew essentially stuck up there until a new Soyuz…
> they could always use the other capsule This only works when you're talking about switching between the same system. Astronauts who flew up on Starliner can't just get into a Soyuz and fly home. Their space suits won't work, and they can't just borrow the other guy's - they're custom fit.
The space suits are custom fit, but if two astronauts are about the same height, I'd imagine you could make it fit and have it be safe if maybe uncomfortable. Worst case, you could always just not wear a space suit for the trip home. You only need the suit in the case where the capsule depressurizes but still survives reentry. To my knowledge this has only ever happened once. If they really need to leave the space station and there are available seats, this seems like a no brainer. It would be like evacuating from a tsunami in a car that didn't have seatbelts.
I'm puzzled why they have helium leaks all over? I mean gas valves aren't really a new technology.
A certain leak rate is expected. Helium is a very small atom, and as such is used for leak testing of systems all the time. It is very good at finding gaps in a system. Obviously the leaks here are a lot more serious. My experience of significant leaks in spacecraft propulsion would lead me to believe that there are welding issues. It can be very difficult to weld some of the materials used in these system, adding to…
All of that granted, isn't this stuff tested on the ground? I guess vibration from the launch must have cracked the welds or something, but I'd have thought that if this were a concern that the parts would have been tested in a vibration chamber.
A certain leak rate is expected. Helium is a very small atom, and as such is used for leak testing of systems all the time. It is very good at finding gaps in a system. Obviously the leaks here are a lot more serious. My experience of significant leaks in spacecraft propulsion would lead me to believe that there are welding issues. It can be very difficult to weld some of the materials used in these system, adding to…
All of that granted, isn't this stuff tested on the ground? I guess vibration from the launch must have cracked the welds or something, but I'd have thought that if this were a concern that the parts would have been tested in a vibration chamber.
It was tested on the ground. That's where they found the first of the five leaks, but launched anyway.
All of that granted, isn't this stuff tested on the ground? I guess vibration from the launch must have cracked the welds or something, but I'd have thought that if this were a concern that the parts would have been tested in a vibration chamber.
It was tested on the ground. That's where they found the first of the five leaks, but launched anyway.
I'll be very interested to read the report when this is all over.