Today, Boeing informed NASA that the company will destack its CST-100 Starliner from the Atlas V rocket and return the spacecraft to the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) for deeper-level troubleshooting of four propulsion system valves that remain closed after last Tuesday’s scrubbed launch. Starliner has sat atop the Atlas V rocket in […]
Mission Updates
Boeing Works to Open Starliner Valves, Determine Cause of Valve Issues
As Boeing teams continue to work around the clock to return functionality to a number of oxidizer valves on the CST-100 Starliner’s propulsion system, the company is simultaneously working with its NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne partners to determine the cause of the valve issues discovered during prelaunch checks. Nine of the previously affected 13 valves […]
Boeing Advances Starliner Solutions in the Vertical Integration Facility
This weekend, Boeing restored functionality on more of the 13 CST-100 Starliner propulsion system valves that did not open as designed during prelaunch system checks last week. Boeing has completed physical inspections and chemical sampling on the exterior of a number of the affected valves, which indicated no signs of damage or external corrosion. Test […]
Starliner Work in Vertical Integration Facility to Continue Through Weekend
This weekend, Boeing engineers will continue testing and evaluating the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft inside the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Space Launch Complex-41. Yesterday, teams powered up the spacecraft to receive data and send commands to the propulsion system valves that unexpectedly indicated “closed” positions early in the launch countdown on Tuesday. The transmitted commands […]
Starliner, Atlas V Secured in Vertical Integration Facility
This morning, the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, atop an Atlas V rocket, returned to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) as work continues for Starliner’s second uncrewed orbital flight test. Teams from Boeing and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have begun assembly of necessary support structures around the spacecraft to access the vehicle’s Service Module. Boeing engineers are […]
ULA, Boeing Update Schedule To Move Starliner, Atlas V To Vertical Integration Facility
This afternoon, ULA and Boeing updated the schedule to roll the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, atop an Atlas V rocket, back to United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility (VIF). The transition, which was planned for Wednesday afternoon, will occur on Thursday, allowing the team to complete necessary work ahead of the Boeing-led inspections that will take […]