The final month has been an eventful one for the Expedition 71 crew on the Worldwide Area Station and their two helpers from the Starliner Crew Flight Check (CFT). It’s nonetheless not recognized when – or even when – CFT will return to Earth with crewmembers Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, two veteran astronauts and check pilots which have been in house effectively past the preliminary period of eight days envisaged after they launched into orbit on June 5.
NASA is now brazenly speaking in regards to the contingency choices, which incorporates potential choices involving SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, ought to the Company determine Starliner will undock with out its crew.
For the final 62 days, the ISS has had 9 crew members aboard as an alternative of its ordinary seven. The CFT crew’s help has helped the Expedition 71 crew with its common duties, however the further crew members also can devour extra oxygen and different sources. Whereas varied return situations for Starliner Calypso are being mentioned, Crew-8 is making ready to go away the Station and Crew-9 is making ready for flight.
The mixed crews of Expedition 71 and Starliner CFT pose aboard ISS. (Credit score: NASA)
STARLINER
The Starliner CFT mission’s prolonged keep at ISS has made headlines and dominated dialogue on the bottom. Shortly after Calypso docked to the Station, the mission was prolonged, first by one week, then one other, after which longer than that. Throughout the first days of the flight, NASA did state that the flight might be prolonged based mostly on check targets.
The initially deliberate return date of June 14 was first moved to June 18, in order that extra checkouts might be executed on Starliner and the Expedition 71 crew might give attention to spacewalk preparations. Calypso’s return was moved to June 22 to carry out a hot-fire check on seven aft thrusters in addition to further testing and checkouts.
Starliner Calypso firing its thrusters throughout an on orbit docked check. (Credit score: NASA)
The June 22 date didn’t maintain, and neither did a brand new date of June 26. Based on NASA, canceling the June 26 date was to permit for extra knowledge assessment of Calypso’s propulsion system in addition to to deconflict the Starliner undocking from deliberate spacewalks. NASA Business Crew Program supervisor Steve Stich said “We’re letting the information drive our determination making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster efficiency we noticed throughout rendezvous and docking.”
As return dates got here and went, and as June become July, there was some dialogue as to what was taking place with Calypso and what the trail ahead could be. Updates from NASA and Boeing have been sparse whereas sensational headlines in regards to the mission have been exhibiting up in information studies. On the bottom, checks have been being carried out at White Sands in New Mexico associated to points with Calypso’s propulsion system.
A Starliner thruster being examined at White Sands. (Credit score: NASA)
Throughout a NASA press convention on July 25, Steve Stich and Boeing’s Mark Nappi mentioned preliminary check outcomes and the ahead plan for added testing. The thruster checks, which concluded on July 18, discovered that there was degradation of seals within the propulsion system as a result of publicity to nitrogen tetroxide propellant vapors, and the thruster efficiency intently replicated what occurred on orbit. No new return date for CFT was introduced, although Starliner had earlier been cleared for an emergency return dwelling with crew if wanted.
Two days later, Starliner Calypso carried out a check firing of 27 of the spacecraft’s 28 thrusters whereas docked to the Station. As of the time of writing there’s nonetheless no return date for the CFT mission, and the outcomes of this on-orbit check are being evaluated.
At first of August, Boeing said that they remained assured in Starliner and its skill to return safely with crew whereas additionally supporting NASA’s requests for added knowledge. CFT was initially estimated to have the ability to keep on orbit till mid-August if wanted.
CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams posing with Expedition 71 astronauts Tracy Dyson and Michael Barratt throughout EVA preparations. (Credit score: NASA)
The most recent information convention on August 7 brazenly spoke in regards to the potential choices together with SpaceX’s Dragon, revolving across the delay to Crew-9’s launch. Though no determination has been made, ought to Starliner return with out its crew, choices together with conserving Suni and Butch on the ISS till February 2025.
Roundup of immediately’s @NASA Teleconference about @Space_Station Operations and @BoeingSpace‘s Starliner CFT mission:
Crew-9
– NASA has arrange the Crew-9 Dragon to have the pliability to launch with 2 astronauts, and return with 4 in Feb 2025; SpaceX Fits for Butch & Suni are…— Ryan Caton (@dpoddolphinpro) August 7, 2024
Quite a few evaluations are nonetheless going down, and NASA administrator Invoice Nelson will make the ultimate determination.
EVA ISSUES
Three EVAs had been scheduled for Expedition 71 this summer season, however none of them have taken place to this point as a result of spacesuit points. EVA-89, on Nov. 1, 2023, was the final US phase spacewalk that was efficiently accomplished. Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara eliminated a fixture on the S4 truss to arrange it for a future photo voltaic array improve. The duo additionally eliminated and changed a trundle bearing on the port photo voltaic alpha rotary joint.
Moghbeli and O’Hara additionally eliminated clamps on an S-band Antenna Subassembly on an exterior stowage pallet. Nonetheless, they’d points eradicating the covers from this antenna and couldn’t full the removing of a defective radio frequency group electronics field. The duty was deferred to EVA-90, the place astronauts would end the removing of the field for a return to Earth sooner or later.
Astronaut Matthew Dominick throughout a pre-breathe train previous to the deliberate EVA-90 on June 13. This EVA was subsequently referred to as off. (Credit score: NASA TV)
EVA-90 was scheduled for Thursday, June 13 with astronauts Tracy Dyson and Matthew Dominick. Dyson and Dominick could be tasked with ending the deferred radio frequency group removing in addition to gathering microbial samples from the outside of the Station on the Future and Quest modules. A 3rd job would contain making ready a wrist joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm for a future set up as a substitute half.
Nonetheless, this EVA was postponed as a result of what NASA termed a “spacesuit discomfort concern”, with out offering particulars, presumably as a result of astronaut medical privateness. Matthew Dominick was changed by Michael Barratt as EV2 – with Tracy Dyson as EV1 carrying the purple stripes – and the EVA was rescheduled to Monday, June 24.
Astronaut Mike Barratt engaged on spacesuit gear. (Credit score: NASA)
On that day, astronauts Dyson and Barratt efficiently donned their spacesuits and depressurized the airlock. Nonetheless, the spacewalk ended after simply 31 minutes as a result of a water leak within the cooling and umbilical unit of Dyson’s spacesuit. A second spacewalk – EVA-91 – to finish a number of duties together with making ready the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for an improve, had been scheduled for July 2 but additionally wanted to be pushed again.
The following EVA was initially rescheduled to the top of July to higher perceive and troubleshoot the water leak concern within the growing older shuttle-era spacesuit, nevertheless it nonetheless has not taken place. These spacesuits are due to get replaced by a brand new go well with underneath improvement, however in late June contractor Collins Aerospace pulled out of two Exploration Extravehicular Exercise Companies job orders to develop this go well with.
The prototype of a deliberate new spacesuit for low-Earth orbit operations. (Credit score: Collins Aerospace)
A NASA press launch said that Collins Aerospace and NASA mutually agreed to the descope as a result of go well with’s improvement timeline being incompatible with the ISS schedule or NASA’s targets. The corporate will nonetheless help the EMU fits aboard ISS as a part of the prevailing Extravehicular Area Operations Contract.
Collins Aerospace absorbed Hamilton Customary, the contractor that developed the life help system of the Area Shuttle’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), now used on ISS.
The S.S. Patricia Hilliard Robertson is firing its engine to spice up the Worldwide Area Station’s altitude in Could 2024. (Credit score: NASA)
DAILY OPERATIONS AND POTENTIAL DEBRIS ENCOUNTER
Whereas Starliner and spacewalk points dominated the information being reported in regards to the Station, day by day actions continued as ordinary aboard the massive orbiting complicated. Expedition 71’s crew was busy with experiments in addition to common housekeeping and upkeep, they usually have been ably assisted by the Starliner crew.
The Station’s crewmembers additionally wanted to arrange for an encounter with house particles. Round 00:45 UTC on June 27, Mission Management requested the ISS crew to “shelter in place” aboard the spacecraft they flew aboard – together with Starliner – as a result of breakup of the Russian RESURS-P1 satellite tv for pc close to the Station’s altitude earlier within the day. All crewmembers have been cleared to renew regular actions aboard the orbiting complicated round an hour later.
Cygnus NG-20 S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson simply earlier than its launch from ISS. (Credit score: NASA)
On Friday, July 12, the Canadarm2 launched the Cygnus S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson after unberthing it from the Station’s Unity node module. The Cygnus was loaded with trash and discarded gear together with the KREPE-2 reentry experiment from the College of Kentucky. The Cygnus accomplished a harmful reentry to finish its flight the next day to finish the NG-20 mission.
The ISS acquired one other Cygnus customer on Tuesday, August 6 when the NG-21 S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee efficiently carried out a rendezvous to the Station earlier than being berthed by the Canadarm2 operated by Matthew Dominick. S.S. Francis R. Scobee, berthed on the Unity module’s nadir port, joins Starliner Calypso, Crew Dragon Endeavour, Soyuz MS-25, Progress MS-26, and Progress MS-27 because the Station’s present visiting car complement.
Present visiting car complement and areas on ISS. (Credit score: NASA)
The ISS, as humanity’s premier microgravity laboratory, hosts many science experiments. The Expedition 71 and CFT crewmembers have carried out analysis on manufacturing of orbital fibers in microgravity, cataloging the microbial species within the Station’s water system, 3D printing in microgravity, hydroponics, coronary heart adaptation in microgravity, and lots of different experiments.
Astronauts Wilmore and Williams have been instrumental in enabling science to proceed whereas different astronauts have been busy with issues like packing the NG-20 Cygnus spacecraft previous to departure.
Crew Dragon Endeavour with the Milky Method within the background. (Credit score: NASA)
PLANS IN FLUX
Whereas regular exercise continues aboard the Station, the CFT crewmembers should not the one ones which are spending further time on orbit. Crew-9 was initially alleged to fly on Sunday, Aug. 18, however has now been delayed by over a month. The brand new launch date is not any sooner than Sept. 24 and the flight will now elevate off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Area Pressure Station reasonably than Pad 39A as had been deliberate.
NASA cited the necessity for “operational flexibility” in its announcement of the flight’s delay. The company desires to finalize return planning for CFT, and to deconflict the handover between the Soyuz MS-25 and MS-26 missions. Soyuz MS-26 is scheduled to launch on Sept. 11 at 16:22 UTC with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner together with NASA’s Don Pettit.
Starliner Calypso docked to ISS with the aurora australis within the background. (Credit score: NASA)
Groups are analyzing the outcomes of latest checks on Starliner, engaged on flight rationale for the Starliner’s propulsion system, and checking on programs reliability. This delay additionally provides NASA time to reconfigure Crew-9’s Crew Dragon Freedom if wanted for any contingency plan, although nothing has been determined relating to whether or not Starliner Calypso would return to Earth with crew.
This summer season has additionally seen the naming of a brand new crew in addition to a shuffling of future crewed flights to ISS from the US. Crew-10, to fly aboard a brand new Crew Dragon – which the astronauts will title – is scheduled to fly no sooner than February 2025, a slot that had been beforehand reserved for Starliner-1.
Crew-10 from left to proper: Nichole Ayers, Kirill Peskov, Anne McClain, Takuya Onishi. (Credit score: NASA/James Blair)
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov are to fly to the ISS on this mission, whereas Starliner-1 has been pushed again to no sooner than August 2025. Starliner-1, to be crewed by NASA’s Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke, CSA’s Joshua Kutryk, and JAXA’s Kimiya Yuri is to be the primary operational mission of that spacecraft, and when – and perhaps even when – it flies will rely upon the last word efficiency of the CFT mission.
Within the nearer time period, Progress MS-28 is scheduled to fly to the Station with a launch on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 03:20 UTC from Baikonur. This robotic spacecraft is scheduled to fly gas, water, and cargo to ISS and can dock with the Russian phase. MS-28 is the third Progress mission to fly to ISS this yr.
Progress MS-26 arriving on the ISS over a cloudy Earth. (Credit score: NASA)
Progress MS-26 is scheduled to undock from the Station’s Russian phase on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 02:03 UTC, whereas Progress MS-28 is scheduled to dock on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 05:56 UTC. MS-26 will conduct a harmful reentry to Earth after being loaded with trash, whereas Progress MS-27 stays docked to the Station.
The EVA schedule aboard the Station can be nonetheless in flux. Whereas the US phase EVAs set for this summer season are reshuffled, planning and work for them continues. The NG-21 Cygnus mission flew 43 kg of spacewalk gear which is now on the ISS, whereas work continues to renew spacewalks. No Russian phase EVAs are presently scheduled.
Cygnus NG-21 S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee simply after being grabbed by the ISS Canadarm2. (Credit score: NASA TV)
Crew-8’s departure from the Station is extremely depending on what choices in the end are made with Starliner Calypso and the CFT return. Their departure additionally relies upon in addition to when Crew-9 lastly will get off the bottom and on any modifications which may be made to the mission.
Crew-8 NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barrett, and Jeanette Epps in addition to Roscosmos’ Alexander Grebenkin stand to get not less than a month of further time on orbit – and maybe even longer. Choices can be made within the coming weeks that would reshuffle crew planning and Station actions to a a lot better diploma than at current.
(Lead picture: Starliner Calypso docked on the Concord module on ISS on July 3, 2024. Credit score: NASA)
