Boeing Starliner

Boeing Starliner
Boeing Starliner Spacecraft 2 approaching the ISS in May 2022, during Orbital Flight Test 2
ManufacturerBoeing Defense, Space & Security
Country of originUnited States
OperatorBoeing Defense, Space & Security
ApplicationsISS crew transport
Specifications
Spacecraft typeCrewed capsule
Launch mass13,000 kg (29,000 lb)
Payload capacityTo ISS: 4 crew and 100 kg (220 lb) cargo[3][a]
Crew capacityUp to 7
Volume11 m3 (390 cu ft)[5]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Design life
  • 60 hours (free flight)[1]
  • 7 months (docked)[2]
Dimensions
Length5.03 m (16.5 ft) (CM and SM)[6]
Diameter4.56 m (15 ft)[6]
Production
StatusActive
Built3
Launched2
Retired1
Maiden launchDecember 20, 2019, 11:36:43 UTC (uncrewed)

The Boeing Starliner (or CST-100[b]) is a class of partially reusable spacecraft designed to transport crew to the International Space Station (ISS) and other low-Earth-orbit destinations.[7][8][9] It is manufactured by Boeing, with the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) of NASA as the lead customer.[10] The spacecraft consists of a crew capsule that can be reused on up to ten missions and an expendable service module.[11]

The capsule has a diameter of 15 feet (4.56 m), slightly larger than either the Apollo command module or SpaceX Crew Dragon and smaller than the Artemis Orion capsule.[6] Starliner can hold a crew of up to seven and can remain docked to the ISS for up to seven months. Starliner is launched on an Atlas V N22 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

After several rounds of competitive development contracts within the Commercial Crew Program starting in 2010, NASA selected Starliner, along with the SpaceX Crew Dragon, in the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract round.[12][13][14][15] The first crewed test flight test was initially planned to occur in 2017.[15]

The first unmanned Orbital Flight Test did not occur until December 20, 2019, and was deemed a partial failure. A second Orbital Flight Test was required, which took Boeing over two years to complete on May 19, 2022. After multiple further delays, the Crew Flight Test launched on June 5, 2024.[16][17] The flight, originally scheduled for eight days, has not been approved to return to Earth until problems with thrusters on the spacecraft are solved or better understood.

Boeing has lost more than $1.5 billion in budget overruns on the Starliner project which has been marred by delays, management issues and engineering challenges. The price paid per flight has also drawn criticism from NASA's inspector general and from observers who point to significantly lower costs on the competing Crew Dragon.

  1. ^ Reiley, Keith; Burghardt, Michael; Wood, Michael; Ingham, Jay; Lembeck, Michael (2011). "Design Considerations for a Commercial Crew Transportation System" (PDF). AIAA SPACE 2011 Conference & Exposition. AIAA SPACE 2011 Conference & Exposition. September 27–29, 2011. Long Beach, California. doi:10.2514/6.2011-7101. ISBN 978-1-60086-953-2. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 1, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  2. ^ Carreau, Mark (July 24, 2013). "Boeing Refines CST-100 Commercial Crew Capsule Approach". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  3. ^ "Commercial Crew Program Press it" (PDF). NASA. October 1, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "Packing Starliner cargo is a balancing act". Boeing. February 28, 2024. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Krebs, Gunther (April 2017). "Starliner (CST-100)". Gunther's Space Page. Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Burghardt, Mike (August 2011). "Boeing CST-100: Commercial Crew Transportation System" (PDF). Boeing. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 1, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  7. ^ Memi, Edmund G.; Morgan, Adam K. (September 23, 2009). "Boeing Submits Proposal for NASA Commercial Crew Transport System" (Press release). Boeing. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  8. ^ "Boeing's New CST-100 'Starliner' Processing Facility Taking Shape at KSC". September 4, 2015. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "NASA.gov". Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.
  10. ^ "CST-100 Starliner – Customers". Boeing. Archived from the original on January 19, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  11. ^ "Boeing: Crew Space Transportation (CST) System". Boeing. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  12. ^ Memi, Edmund G.; Gold, Michael N. (February 2, 2010). "NASA Selects Boeing for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Award to Study Crew Capsule-based Design" (Press release). Boeing. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  13. ^ Morring, Jr., Frank (April 25, 2011). "Five Vehicles Vie For Future Of U.S. Human Spaceflight". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on May 9, 2014. "the CCDev-2 awards... went to Blue Origin, Boeing, Sierra Nevada Corp. and Space Exploration Technologies Inc. (SpaceX)
  14. ^ "Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Win CCiCAP Awards". SpaceNews. August 3, 2012. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013.
  15. ^ a b "Boeing and SpaceX Selected to Build America's New Crew Space Transportation System". NASA. September 16, 2014. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2015. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  16. ^ Niles-Carnes, Elyna (June 1, 2024). "NASA, Mission Partners Forgo June 2 Launch of Crew Flight Test". NASA. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Sheetz, Michael (June 5, 2024). "Boeing Starliner launches for the first time carrying NASA astronauts to the ISS". CNBC. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.


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