Boeing’s, and NASA’s Dilemma With Starliner

There is plenty of talk in the mainstream media about the technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, but the real engineering issue is not rooted in pressure vessels, valves or lines. It’s management.

Starliner has launched previously to the international Space Station uncrewed, so the capability for fully autonomous flight exists at Boeing. The current flight was configured for human piloting, so the obvious option for Williams and Wilmore, which is to bring them back with a SpaceX capsule, may become necessary if NASA and Boeing can’t reconfigure Starliner to work around the thruster issues.

The zero risk option? Fly the astronauts back by SpaceX, then fly Starliner back empty, fix the issues, and launch it again. If Starliner returns unharmed, the decision will look like an abundance of caution, but all concerned will come out looking good.

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STEM GAMES:

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#NASA #boeingstarliner #internationalspacestation

[ChrisSmith-tcdf]

Remember back when the old guard used to make fun of SpaceX and their fancy pants flight suits, and now they’re the dependable flight proven option?

[doltsbane]

Get real. If SpaceX has to rescue Butch and Suni, Starliner is finished. The Boeing-NASA Old Boys Network can't even remotely be expected to cover for that sort of failure.

[nineteen]

As long as they have lots of hairspray to keep the deception going good

[RodCalidge]

And 50+ years ago we used to fly people to the moon and back in a matter of days with zero issues.

[Odonanmarg]

Now here I’ve been told free-enterprise does it better than government-owned initiatives.

[lulutileguy]

Boeing waiting for warranty to run out what else could it be

[LWRC]

If it is only now that the Boeing system is developing reliability, then how did Boeing prove their system was life rated and how did NASA sign off on it??!!!
Those are two questions that should be answered by these two organizations!!!

[corvette]

They can send people to the Moon in the 60s but have problems like this now.

[thewoodsman]

Isn't it misleading to call something it isnt.

Ive always wondered why they call it a space station when its not even in space. Its as if they want to believe something that isnt true. What trickery they use.

[paulroberts]

Lets congratulate Russian Soyuz with progress 89 for providing much needed fresh supplies to Starliner crew Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore in the mission brief.

[BDscenes]

That moment when the door blows off while in the Starliner...

[deathwarmedover]

Upload some Max software to land Starliner.

[LWRC]

The issue is not and doesn't have anything to do with public perceptuon! Human safety is the number 1 priority and no one gives a crap about public perception!!!

[Knight_of_NI]

NEWSFLASH: Boeing offer stranded astronauts $300.00 off next flight vouchers 😂🤦🏻‍♂️😂

[thienle]

Just tell Boeing both are whistleblowers, they'll find a way.

[cliffordguess]

It is all about risk management, folks… likelihood x consequences. Following extensive testing and analysis, NASA has made the decision to bring the astronauts back on an alternate space vehicle. If NASA’s decision is wrong, and the unmanned Boeing vehicle ultimately returns without further incident, then the consequences are embarrassment (and potential additional expense) for Boeing, and an additional (unplanned) six months on ISS for the astronauts (plus additional NASA expense for their care and meals while onboard). If NASA’s decision is right, and the Boeing vehicle fails catastrophically, then the consequences are that they have certainly saved the lives of at least two astronauts (and likely others, assuming a redesign of the Boeing vehicle corrects any identified defects). Of course, this assumes the astronauts return safely on the SpaceX vehicle. Not a hard decision to make…

[LWRC]

Giving the entire contract and business back to NASA would be the same problem since NASA couldn't develop a competitive human rated launch system to begin with!!!

[DansBuddhaBodega]

If you want to succeed, hand it over to spaceX.

[linesided]

Time to find a new second supplier. Perhaps Lego could do a better job.

[Hoser]

Buy a spaceship off a company that can't build a new 737 that won't crash?