Published: 11th May, 2024
Context
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, set to launch from the Kennedy Space Center, aims to ferry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), competing with SpaceX in NASA crew transport.
The inaugural crewed test flight is set to carry Navy aviators Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams (Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams) to the ISS.
What is Boeing's Starliner?
- Starliner, also known as CST-100, is a crew capsule designed for space travel, comprising a crew module and a service module.
- The crew module can carry up to seven astronauts but will be modified for four along with cargo for ISS missions.
- It's partially reusable, with the crew module capable of 10 reuses with a six-month turnaround.
- The spacecraft is equipped with a pusher abort system for crew safety during launch and ascent.
- It boasts software-driven operations and wireless internet connectivity for crew communication, entertainment, and docking with the ISS.
- The Mission Objective:
- Starliner's first crewed test flight aims to assess its performance in space with astronauts aboard.
- Docking with the ISS for approximately 10 days allows testing of manual flight controls, life-support systems, cargo transfer, and new spacesuits.
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