It’s a sad era for Boeing, and their current Starliner crew flight test (CFT) for NASA is the latest example. It isn’t just aviation. Boeing had a decade to get their spacecraft right, and over $4 billion to do it, and flown 2 previous uncrewed tests because the first failed. Boeing’s woes now continue with the currently problematic Starliner crew test Mission.
Predictably, both NASA and Boeing are downplaying it, with the “space is hard” narrative. Capsules are nothing new, and neither was the workhorse Atlas V rocket that was given to them. SpaceX has been flying their Dragon spacecraft just fine on many missions for a few years. The new kids on the block became pros. So what’s Boeing’s excuse?
Helium leaks and thruster problems
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launch atop a ula atlas-v rocket on the first crewed flight of the Boeing starliner june 5, 2024. Ula photo
The current CFT mission is Starliner’s third flight test, but first with crew. Sure, you have to conduct flight tests to iron out any issues that can only be discovered in flight. However, even after two previous tests, the capsule has had another problematic mission, forcing the crew to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) until the problems are figured out and both NASA and Boeing are confident that Starliner can return safely. No return date has been announced yet as of the publication of this story.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched June 5 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It wasn’t long, however, before issues started popping up.
starliner cft approaching the iss (nasa photo)
Five separate leaks were detected in the helium system that pressurizes the spacecraft’s propulsion system. Five of Starliner’s 28 reaction control system (RCS) thrusters failed too, when the crew were attempting ISS rendezvous for docking.
After some troubleshooting, four of the RCS thrusters were brought back online, and they were able to safely dock, but it leaves many questions, and worries, about a safe return home. It also begs to question why an establishment aerospace giant like Boeing still can’t get it right after all this time, and money.
Nasa photo of starliner cft docked to the iss
Extended stay in space while Boeing and NASA analyze data
The control systems are needed to safely undock and maneuver away from the ISS. They are also needed for a de-orbit burn, separating the crew capsule from the service module for re-entry, and then successfully fly the re-entry.
The mission was scheduled to undock and return to Earth June 14. Engineers and mission leaders however have called off several opportunities to return, citing a need to analyze more data. Now, they won’t return until after some unrelated previously scheduled spacewalks are conducted, in early July.
Boeing engineers working in starliner (mike killian photo / americaspace.com)
NASA claims the crew can return to Earth in Starliner in an emergency. Well, if that were true, why haven’t they returned yet?
NASA and Boeing insist that the crew can leave at any time in an emergency. They claim Starliner is staying at the ISS so engineers can study the service module Helium system because they cannot study it on the ground since the service module burns up on re-entry.
Starliner heading to orbit on the second stage atlas centaur (oft-1). Mike killian photo
Of course, nobody wants to see another crew perish. If needed, the Starliner crew could stay on the ISS for some time, and return home on another spacecraft.
The Starliner CFT however, is only rated for 45 days at the ISS. Future spacecraft could stay up to 6 months.
NASA awarded billions to develop Starliner & Dragon. SpaceX is flying their 8th long duration crew mission. Starliner still has none
When NASA’s Space Shuttle fleet retired in 2011, Congress ordered the agency to foster commercial development to take over crew and cargo missions to the ISS. They even allow them to sell their services with the new vehicles to private customers. SpaceX is already doing that. Boeing says they have no plans to. In the meantime, NASA turned their focus to the SLS / Artemis, and returning to the moon to establish a long-term human presence.
The Bush administration ordered the retirement of the shuttle fleet after the loss of Columbia STS-107. Under the Obama administration, NASA was ordered to foster private development, and started the commercial crew program.
Mike killian photo. Shuttle endeavour sts-134
After shuttle Atlantis landed on STS-135, America became 100% reliant on Russia to fly NASA astronauts to and from the ISS. For a gross $70 million per seat, American astronauts rode in the best 1960s technology that money could buy.
In the meantime, NASA awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to begin developing vehicles to return human orbital spaceflight to American soil.
The final space shuttle to fly, atlantis, is seen here during mating operations to its solid rocket boosters and external Fuel tank at kennedy space center’s iconic vehicle assembly building. Photo by Mike Killian
NASA passed on contracting a very promising “mini space shuttle” from Sierra Nevada, called Dream Chaser, which could land on almost any runway nationwide. It was the favorite along with SpaceX. Boeing, being in bed with NASA and the government, got the contract instead.
NASA eventually did give Dream Chaser a cargo-only contract, but they should have got the crew contract in 2014 instead. The first cargo Dream Chaser will launch later this year from Florida.
Sierra nevada’s dream chaser spaceplane. Nasa passed on this in 2014, instead contracting two capsule designs with boeing and spacex (photo credit sierra nevada)
Having two providers would give America redundancy, should a spacecraft suffer an accident or go offline for a while. This would mean another spacecraft is still available, instead of having to rely on the Russian Soyuz if one of America’s spacecraft have to stop flying.
Boeing being already in bed with NASA was awarded $4.6 billion. The Atlas V rocket was already a proven workhorse, but needed work to be crew-rated. Boeing had a launch pad and rocket given to them, minus a crew access tower, which had to be constructed.
Starliner atop its atlas v rocket at cape canaveral space force station (mike killian photo / americaspace.com)
SpaceX was awarded half that amount, $2.6 billion, and had to prove their new Falcon 9 rocket worthy over several years. NASA knew SpaceX had to do a lot more work, being new in the game.
Guess who returned crew flight to American soil first? SpaceX accomplished this years ahead of Boeing, flying the first crewed test flight for NASA in 2020.
Problems with Starliner are nothing new
Starliner in processing at kennedy space center (mike killian photo / americaspace.com)
Starliner launched on an uncrewed orbital flight test in Dec 2019, and it didn’t go well at all. Shortly after it achieved orbit Starliner suffered an automated timing issue. Flight controllers called off its ISS docking, and instead put Starliner in an unplanned stable orbit to save other critical mission test objectives, including de-orbit, re-entry and landing. It returned to Earth two days later.
NASA wasn’t convinced, despite Boeing painting it as a good test flight. Boeing offered to do it again at their own expense. In March 2020, a joint NASA/Boeing Independent Review Team found three principal anomalies—two software coding errors and an unexpected loss of Space-to-Ground Communications were the culprits. They ordered over 80 recommendations spanning testing and simulation, Change Board documentation and safety culture, before the redo flight test could launch.
The first uncrewed orbital flight test of starliner (oft-1). The mission ended soon after for technical problems and was returned to earth safely (mike killian photos / americaspace.com)
Leading up to that second launch, more issues started popping up with Starliner. While on the launch pad, some valves linked to Starliner’s abort and maneuvering thrusters failed to open as designed during the countdown, leading to a scrub.
Boeing decided to replace the OFT-2 Service Module with one previously slated for the CFT mission, which is the vehicle currently on orbit experiencing several issues.
Mike killian photo / americaspace.com
OFT-2 finally launched in May 2022, and while some minor issues were encountered, the mission met its remaining test objectives from OFT-1, and was a success.
Retired shuttle astronaut Chris Ferguson was slated to command the first Starliner test, then he stepped down
Retired NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson commanded STS-135. He then joined Boeing to command the first Starliner CFT mission. However, he later withdrew himself from the flight, citing family commitments in the year ahead. That’s his public excuse and he has stuck to it.
Retired nasa shuttle astronaut chris ferguson, who withdrew himself from commanding the first starliner crew flight test (mike killian / americaspace.com)
Ferguson did however stay involved in the Starliner program, becoming Director of crew and mission operations. “I’ll also have the ancillary role of being the eyes and the ears of the CFT crew,” he said. That work will include following the spacecraft during testing and “making sure we give reasonable attention to issues that will need to be addressed.”
Looking ahead
Although it has been a rough road for Boeing and Starliner, they are close to the finish line for NASA certification to start flying operational missions. As of today, the mission has completed 77 of its 87 prescribed flight test objectives, with the remaining ten scheduled to occur during undocking, re-entry and landing.
“We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions,” said Steve Stitch, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager.
Starliner has 3 locations available to land once undocking from the ISS. White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH), N.M., Wilcox Playa, AZ., and Dugway Proving Grounds, UT.
Previous starliner after returning from an uncrewed flight test. Photo – NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The crew will then be taken by helicopter to Johnson Space Center in Houston, while the spacecraft gets sent elsewhere for engineers to look over.
Once Starliner completes the test programs successfully and earns NASA certification, Boeing will fly at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the ISS for NASA. Giving America redundancy with multiple operators for low-Earth orbit human spaceflight.
Avgeekery’s Mike Killian has extensive experience reporting on NASA covering America’s space program on-scene full-time since 2009. He has watched the program develop from the end of the shuttle era and birth of the commercial crew program, and has covered every major development milestone since the contracts with Boeing and SpaceX were signed 10 years ago.