Boeings CST-100 Starliner crew ship approaches the International Space Station on the businesss Orbital Flight Test-2 objective before instantly docking to the Harmony modules forward port. Credit: NASA
NASA will supply live protection of the upcoming return activities for the agencys Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2). It lifted off at 6:54 p.m. EDT on May 19 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and successfully docked to the International Space Stations Harmony module for the first time on May 20 at 8:28 p.m. EDT. As part of the uncrewed flight test, Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will leave from the International Space Station for a landing in the western United States.
Boeings CST-100 Starliner crew ship approaches the International Spaceport station on the businesss Orbital Flight Test-2 mission prior to immediately docking to the Harmony modules forward port. The orbiting lab was flying 268 miles above the south Pacific at the time of this photograph. Credit: NASA
NASA will provide live protection of the upcoming return activities for the agencys Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2). It lifted off at 6:54 p.m. EDT on May 19 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and successfully docked to the International Space Stations Harmony module for the very first time on May 20 at 8:28 p.m. EDT. As part of the uncrewed flight test, Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will depart from the International Space Station for a landing in the western United States.
The spacecraft is arranged to autonomously undock from the space station to begin the journey house at 2:36 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 25. NASA and Boeing are targeting 6:49 p.m. for the landing and conclusion of OFT-2, covering up a six-day mission checking the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system.
The return and related activities will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the firms website.
In advance of Starliners return, business team astronauts at the space station will talk with NASA management and make farewell remarks prior to closing the hatch to the uncrewed spacecraft.
Teams are targeting White Sands Space Harbor at the U.S. Armys White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico as the main landing website, with a backup White Sands opportunity Friday, May 27. The spacecraft will return with more than 600 pounds of freight, including Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System recyclable tanks that supply breathable air to station crew members. The tanks will be refilled in the world and sent back to the space station on a future flight.
NASAs Boeing OFT-2 return coverage on NASA television is as follows and all times go through change based on objective operations (perpetuity are Eastern):.
Tuesday, May 24.
12:20 p.m.– NASA Administrator occasion on Starliners flight test with commercial team astronauts at station.
12:55 p.m.– Starliner goodbye ceremony.
1:30 p.m.– Hatch closure television protection starts for 1:55 p.m. hatch closing.
Wednesday, May 25.
2 p.m.– TV protection begins for the 2:36 p.m. undocking. NASA will break coverage after the spacecraft exits joint operations with the spaceport station.
5:45 p.m.– Coverage starts for 6:05 p.m. deorbit burn and 6:49 p.m. landing in the western United States.
9 p.m.– Return to Earth news conference on NASA TV from NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston:.
Steve Stich, supervisor, NASAs Commercial Crew Program.
Joel Montalbano, manager, NASAs International Space Station Program.
Suni Williams, NASA astronaut.
Mark Nappi, vice president and program supervisor, Boeing.