Boeing Starliner

yes

 

In practical, and historical, terms that doesn't even make sense. When did NASA (or Congress) decide to implement that policy? After the Apollo 1 fire? Nope. After the Challenger explosion? Nope. Maybe after it became apparent that SpaceX was a player and the MIC felt threatened.

 

They've spent more trying to develop a back-up to SpaceX than they have on Russia and SpaceX combined. Maybe they should have invested in Blue Origin.

 

Musk has proved them all wrong. Bureaucracies are anti innovation and simply add more non productive weight to the process.

Starliner is a perfect example of something that should have been cancelled.

 

I think Starliner is a positive for space access. Even though it looks like SpaceX is beating the pants off of Boeing, Boeing is in it for the long haul. Two US providers of crew transport is better for space business regardless of the extra cost.

 

The maiden crewed flight of the Boeing Starliner will not happen on July 21, the aerospace agency announced Thursday.

Boeing said the crewed flight test for Starliner, which has been delayed several times, is being pushed back again because of technical issues with the parachute system, as well as the discovery that tape used to wrap wire harnesses may be flammable.

 

I'm sorry but this thing is a D, O, G, DOG!

Boeing should be ashamed of themselves. They have got some serious issues. SMH

Accounting over Engineering. It happens. Usually means the end of the company. I hope not but they sure aren't making it easy to root for them.

C'mon Boeing, we can do better than this.

 

No really, is this thing gonna carry humans into space any time soon?

 

It it doesn’t have the same type rating as a 737 they’ll never build it.

 

Even worse. They are explosive door bolts.

 

Can someone remind me again why we need this?

 

Can't allow SpaceX to have a monopoly

 

Biden is racing the Russians to the moon. We'll colonize it for when this place gets too hot.

 

I suppose the problem I have with this is the thinking behind it. On one hand......NASA drove NASA into the ground and forced the US to rely on the Ruskies. On the other hand.....somebody with their own money builds and flies a reusable launch vehicle that has proven to be remarkably reliable without using NASA.

So conventional thinking means NASA wants a platform that they spec and control like Starliner rather than use what is available and works. I have a niece that worked on this project for the past 15 years at NASA and she finally quit. The level of "not invented here" runs deep. Everything on a NASA time schedule slides to the right and costs 2-3x what is planned.

So the thinking is the problem. I sincerely hope Starliner works .....for the sake of the crew on board.

 

"NASA awarded the two companies contracts under its Commercial Crew Program to continue U.S.-based space travel after the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011. Boeing's commercial crew contract for Starliner is valued at $4.2 billion, while the more successful SpaceX's contract is valued at $2.6 billion."

https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2024/04/25/nasa-astronauts-boeing-starliner-mission/1771714074837/

SpaceX crewed launches at a glance
Number of crewed launches: 12 (NASA: 8, Commercial: 4)

Number of crew: 46 (Government: 35, Commercial: 11)

 

How many billion for this boondoggle?