Starliner faced “catastrophic” failure before software bug found

Post by Already__Taken » Sat, Feb 08, 2020, 8:49 AM UTC

m4rtink wrote: post #56

worik wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given commercial pressures would a Boeing reentry vehicle be over designed to such a extent that on such a failure (failure to separate, entering with the wrong attitude ?correct term?) result in "...the craft righted itself before the escape hatch was burned through"?

I would assume it would work the same as with the soyuz, provided that the service module separates/explodes before the capsule reentering the wrong way is irrecoverably damaged. Basically, all space capsules have their of gravity placed in such a way that they will automatically orient themselves heat shield forward once they encounter the atmosphere. So once the service module is gone, it should flip into the corre…

Post by galaxyLogic » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 8:45 PM UTC

ben_w wrote: post #38

galaxyLogic wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Makes me wonder why put all this effort to make space-travel safe for crews. Why not focus on remotely controlled or AI autonomous vehicles instead?

I think we already do — there have been roughly 15 satellites etc. launched for every human who has ever reached earth orbit over the entire history of human spaceflight.