Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft securely lands at White Sands Missile Ranges Space Harbor on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeings Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliners second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 works as an end-to-end test of the systems capabilities. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
NASA and Boeing successfully landed the businesss CST-100 Starliner spacecraft Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in the desert of the western United States, finishing the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) to the International Space Station (ISS) to assist develop that the system is ready to fly astronauts.
About four hours after departing the orbital outpost, Starliner touched down onto its air bags at 4:49 p.m. MDT (6:49 p.m. EDT), concluding the six-day flight, which evaluated the end-to-end capabilities of the crew-capable spacecraft. The landing followed a deorbit burn at 4:05 p.m., separation of the spacecrafts service module, and successful implementation of its 3 primary parachutes and 6 air bags.
This view from a window on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom crew ship on May 20, 2022, reveals Boeings CST-100 Starliner team ship moments far from docking to the Harmony modules forward port on the International Space Station for the businesss Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Credit: NASA
” NASAs Commercial Crew Program and our industry partner, Boeing, today took a major and successful step on the journey to allowing more human spaceflight objectives to the International Space Station on American spacecraft from American soil,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The OFT-2 mission represents the power of collaboration, which allows us to innovate for the benefit of humanity and motivate the world through discovery. This golden age of spaceflight would not be possible without the countless individuals who stood firm and poured their enthusiasm into this excellent accomplishment.”
As part of the flight test for NASAs Commercial Crew Program, Boeing achieved prepared test objectives, consisting of:
Boeings Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliners second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeings Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliners second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. Quickly, we hope to see crews arrive to the area station on Starliner to continue the essential microgravity scientific research and discovery made possible by the orbiting lab.”
Boeings CST-100 Starliner crew ship approaches the International Space Station on May 20, 2022, on the companys Orbital Flight Test-2 mission prior to immediately docking to the Harmony modules forward port.
Starliner launch and regular trajectory to orbital insertion
Release of United Launch Alliances (ULA) Atlas V and dual-engine Centaur 2nd phase
Climb abort emergency situation detection system recognition
Starliner separation from the Atlas V rocket
Method, rendezvous, and docking with International Space Station
Starliner hatch opening and closing, astronaut ingress, and quiescent mode
Crew habitability and internal interface evaluation
Starliner undocking and departure from spaceport station
Starliner deorbit, and crew module separation from service module
Starliner descent and climatic entry with aero-deceleration system
Precision targeted landing and recovery
” I am extremely proud of the dedication and determination shown by the NASA, Boeing and ULA team culminating in the successful conclusion of Starliners 2nd Orbital Flight Test from start to complete,” said Steve Stich, supervisor, NASAs Commercial Crew Program. “Throughout this process, Starliner has actually offered a remarkable amount of important information, which were continuing to evaluate in our effort to bring the spacecraft online and completely functional for crew flights to the spaceport station as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The flight test started Thursday, May 19, when Starliner introduced on the ULA Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeings Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliners second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 released at 6:54 p.m. ET, and will act as an end-to-end test of the systems abilities. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Following liftoff, Starliner effectively got in Earths orbit, performed a series of demonstrations of its capabilities, and docked with the spaceport station 26 hours after launch. The Expedition 67 team aboard the station opened hatches and got in the pill for the first time, validating and inspecting the spacecraft integration with power and communications station systems for longer remain in the future. The station crew also unloaded 500 pounds of freight delivered by Starliner and sent 600 pounds of freight back to Earth.
” Congratulations to the NASA and Boeing teams,” said Joel Montalbano, manager of NASAs International Space Station Program. “I am excited to see the conclusion of an important step in bringing another system online to carry long-duration team members to and from the International Space Station. Soon, we intend to see teams get here to the area station on Starliner to continue the essential microgravity scientific research study and discovery made possible by the orbiting laboratory.”
Boeings CST-100 Starliner team ship approaches the International Space Station on May 20, 2022, on the businesss Orbital Flight Test-2 mission prior to automatically docking to the Harmony modules forward port. The orbiting lab was flying 268 miles above the south Pacific at the time of this photo. Credit: NASA
A crucial step in confirming the efficiency of Boeings systems, OFT-2 brings the country a considerable action closer to having two distinct human transportation systems to carry astronauts to and from the space station from U.S. soil.
” We have had an outstanding flight test of a complicated system that we expected to gain from along the way and we have,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program supervisor, Boeing Commercial Crew Program. “With the completion of OFT-2, we will incorporate lessons learned and continue working to prepare for the crewed flight test and NASA certification. Thank you to the NASA and Boeing teammates who have actually put so much of themselves into Starliner.”
Starliner carried a “passenger” on this flight test– a lifelike test gadget called Rosie.
Rosie the Rocketeer, Boeings anthropometric test gadget, claimed her spot when again in the commanders seat inside the companys CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for its 2nd uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2) for NASAs Commercial Crew Program. Credit: Boeing
During OFT-1, Rosie was outfitted with 15 sensing units to collect information on what astronauts will experience during flights on Starliner. The tanks will be reconditioned on Earth and sent out back to station on a future flight.
Boeing retrieved the spacecraft from the desert and will transfer it back to the companys Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida for processing.
After NASA and Boeing review procedures information from this test flight, groups will continue prepare for Starliner and its next mission, the Crew Flight Test to the space station.