NASA’s annual safety report has revealed new issues with its troubled Boeing Starliner spacecraft, questioning its viability in the future. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) commended the agency’s handling of last year’s challenging mission but raised concerns about risk management and clear roles and responsibilities within the Commercial Crew Program.
The report highlighted helium leaks and thruster failures on the propulsion system during the Starliner’s first crewed flight, leading to a months-long saga where two NASA astronauts were left behind on the International Space Station. The ASAP warned that without clear definitions of who is in charge, risk management choices could devolve to contractors whose interests may not align with NASA’s.
The report also revealed an additional issue found during reentry – a failed mono propellant thruster in the crew module, which would have significantly increased the risk had the crew been aboard. The ASAP will continue to monitor unresolved issues with the thrusters and seek information on how NASA and Boeing plan to get the spacecraft certified.
Boeing’s contract with NASA is limited to six rotational crew missions, with the earliest certification potentially happening late this year. However, without a clear understanding of the Starliner certification plan, it remains unclear whether a second provider will be available before the end of the ISS’s operational life in 2030.
In contrast, SpaceX has already flown nine operational crew rotation flights to the ISS and is set to launch its 10th mission, Crew-10, which includes the two Starliner astronauts left behind. However, President Trump confirmed that he had asked Elon Musk to expedite the return of the astronauts, but a timeline for this has not been announced.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/watchdog-panel-annual-nasa-safety-184500655.html