NASA has not given up on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft despite a failed test flight that stranded astronauts in space. The agency is planning another test flight to launch the vehicle before certifying it for regular crew rotation missions.
According to Steve Stich, NASA commercial crew program manager, the next test flight will verify the spacecraft’s thrusters function properly in space after modifications to its malfunctioning propulsion system. Boeing plans a ground test of the propulsion system this summer and is aiming for a subsequent flight to the International Space Station (ISS) that demonstrates the spacecraft’s ability to operate in a challenging space environment.
The upcoming Starliner test flight aims to validate changes made to the spacecraft, which had five thrusters fail during its previous crewed test flight. The mission would provide NASA with two private vehicles as options for transporting astronauts to and from the ISS, reducing its dependency on SpaceX.
NASA’s strategy is to perform one test flight followed by a crew rotation flight. The agency has already awarded Boeing a $4.3 billion contract under the Commercial Crew Program, and the Starliner spacecraft was originally expected to launch its first crew mission by early 2025. However, that goal has been delayed due to the failed test flight.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/nasa-wont-let-starliner-die-just-yet-even-after-boeings-space-fiasco-2000578546