Engineers from Boeing and NASA have dedicated the past month to conducting thorough examinations on the Starliner Response Management System’s RCS thruster to better understand the issues that arose during the spacecraft’s live test flight in early June, wrapping up their efforts last week. Following the latest update, teams have successfully replicated the thrust degradation experienced by Starliner and are currently reviewing all relevant data. NASA and Boeing have yet to provide a specific timeline, merely stating that the mission will take place within the next few weeks.
During simulations at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, teams replicated scenarios from Starliner’s current flight, placing the management system thruster under intense stress through one of the most challenging launch-to-docking firing sequences – exceeding 1,000 pulses to replicate CFT conditions, according to Boeing. Additionally, they evaluated scenarios for undocking and de-orbit burns, essential considerations as Starliner approaches home. Following a thorough analysis of the exam data, the teams conducted additional, highly rigorous tests to confirm whether they could accurately replicate the high-temperature conditions experienced by the thrusters during flight, according to Dan Niedermaier, Boeing’s engineer in charge of thruster testing.
Engineers are honing their skills in conducting thorough “tear-downs and inspections”, according to NASA’s Business Crew Program supervisor, Steve Stich, who made the announcement on Thursday. After conducting thorough examinations, Boeing suggests implementing a Company Flight Check Readiness Assessment to verify Starliner’s overall preparedness for relaunching astronauts safely and efficiently. NASA and Boeing are set to unveil additional details at an upcoming conference within the next few days.
