Boeing is working on fixing its unnerved Starliner capsule

After canceling the planned test flight of its modern crew capsule, the Starliner, Boeing says it is working on fixing the bid which resulted in the cancellation and is hopeful that the test might perhaps well well moreover whisk ahead this month.

Boeing had in the initiating planned to fabricate its second orbital test flight of the Starliner (identified as OFT-2) on Tuesday, August 3. Nonetheless this commence modified into scrubbed and pushed assist to Wednesday, August 4. This second commence modified into therefore scrubbed as wisely, with Boeing announcing that it had found an argument with a propulsion pump all the best draw by the Starliner.

Boeing's Starliner capsule atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Thursday, August 5. — Boeing’s Starliner capsule atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Thursday, August 5. Boeing

Now, the Starliner has been returned to the United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) for an investigation into the shrink back. Troubleshooting steps consist of powering on the spacecraft so the investigators can send and receive commands all the draw by checking out.

“Boeing is working to cherish surprising valve command indications in the Provider Module propulsion machine that led the corporate to scrub the day previous’s commence strive early in the countdown,” the corporate acknowledged in a assertion. “Boeing’s troubleshooting of the valves while the Starliner and Atlas V were on the commence pad has dominated out a preference of doable causes, including application. The excessive storm that happened on Monday also looks to be an now no longer truly reason, however the team will closely behold for water or electrical difficulty while the spacecraft is in the VIF.”

The checking out will proceed over this weekend, and Boeing says that it is doable commence dates this month for the OFT-2 commence.

Right here’s the newest in a protracted sequence of disorders with the Starliner. The first strive at an orbital flight test in December 2019 did no longer reach the Global House Space as planned, and subsequent investigations revealed several excessive disorders alongside with a litany of “gaps in checking out.” Boeing had hoped to position those disorders apart and be a a part of SpaceX in running flights to ferry astronauts from Earth to the command house, running its Starliner alongside the operational Crew Dragon.

Boeing maintains that its heart of attention is on the safety of the capsule and any future crew who might perhaps well well moreover fair skim in it. “We’re letting the details pressure our option-making and we is now no longer going to skim except our built-in groups are joyful and warranted,” acknowledged John Vollmer, vice president and program manager, Boeing’s Industrial Crew Program.