NASA sets launch date for Starliner mission to space station – Ars Technica

On Thursday, NASA invited media to the originate of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Drive Station in Florida. The records originate incorporated a originate date for the mission: December 17.

This uncrewed check flight will validate the in-flight capabilities of the Starliner car and the Atlas V rocket that can originate it into orbit. This mission is a precursor to human flights on Starliner, which NASA has paid Boeing to plan for astronaut transport to the Global Home Station.

NASA’s invitation is critical because Boeing’s “Orbital Flight Take a look at-1” notional originate date has slipped loads of times, and NASA typically ideal sends a requirement for press credentials when it in all fairness assured in a originate date. A provide stated some uncertainty remains in the date, but confidence will elevate if Boeing succeeds in keen a fueled Starliner from its facility at Kennedy Home Heart to United Commence Alliance’s facility in mid-November. One day of this plan, the spacecraft will be stacked atop an Atlas V rocket for closing processing old to the originate.

But another key check will near for the duration of the company’s Flight Readiness Review, a gathering for the duration of which the company affords formal approval for the mission to proceed. As residence reporter Jeff Foust famed on Twitter on Thursday, when NASA despatched out the true media accreditation sight for SpaceX’s Demo-1 mission in slack 2018, the originate became deliberate for January of this year. The mission in actuality launched in early March.

For most of the closing decade, Boeing has been increasing the Starliner capsule as one in every of two alternatives for NASA to bring its crew into orbit. SpaceX has been increasing its Crew Dragon spacecraft in parallel. SpaceX carried out its uncrewed check flight in March but has since been grappling with two major technical points related to its originate race system and parachutes. These points must be resolved before NASA will approve a mission with astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken aboard.

NASA is sharp to safe one or both autos into operational missions. Although the company had purchased rides on the Soyuz spacecraft thru spring 2020, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine stated Thursday that NASA would look for to care for on the very least one more seat later in 2020 in case there are ongoing problems with getting Starliner or Dragon flying crews.