The International Space Station was successfully reached and docked with Boeing's Starliner, completing an important step for a crucial test flight that would determine whether it's ready for crewed missions. The spaceship traveled for over 25 hours after it was launched on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
The first attempt to reach the International Space Station by Starliner was unsuccessful due to a software issue. Boeing had to scrap its launch plans in August of last year due to a problem with the valves on the craft.
Orbital Flight Test-2 had its own issues. The temperature control system malfunctioned after two of its 12 main thrusters failed, as reported by The Washington Post. The docking process was delayed by over an hour as the ground team ensured that the lighting was perfect and communications were working as intended. There was a problem with the docking mechanism and it had to be fixed before it could be extended a second time.
Boeing said the Starliner's main thrusters failed due to a drop in pressure in the chamber. Mark Nappi explained that since the service module is on the return flight, Boeing might never find out the exact reason for it. NASA and the company will look at the other issues that occurred to understand them and prevent them from happening in the future.
After five days docked with the International Space Station, Starliner will return to New Mexico, where it will land in the desert. Boeing could send astronauts to space as early as this fall if the spaceship comes back to Earth successfully.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
