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NASA Astronauts Prepare for Boeing Starliner Launch
Amidst quarantine measures, NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams conducted a comprehensive dress rehearsal just a week before their scheduled May 6 launch aboard Boeing Starliner. The mission, known as Crew Flight Test (CFT), involves a liftoff to the International Space Station from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.
Simulated Launch and Training
During the rehearsal, the astronauts, accompanied by backup astronaut Mike Fincke, participated in a simulated launch at KSC. This involved the astronauts donning spacesuits and proceeding to board the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, which will take them to the ISS.
In a nod to preparedness, Fincke quoted Edna Mode from Pixar’s “The Incredibles,” emphasizing the crew’s readiness for launch day. The astronauts also performed a video tour of the Boeing Mission Trainer at NASA Johnson Space Center, showcasing launch and landing procedures.
Spacecraft Preparations and Background
Boeing and SpaceX secured contracts with NASA in 2014 to conduct commercial crew missions to the ISS following the retirement of the space shuttle program in 2011. While SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has successfully completed multiple missions, Starliner faced technical challenges.
Starliner’s initial uncrewed flight in 2019 encountered software glitches, leading to subsequent adjustments and fixes. The delay of CFT in 2023 was due to new issues such as faulty main parachutes and flammable wiring, which have since been addressed.
The current Starliner spacecraft, having been on a previous mission in 2019, is set for launch atop Atlas V at ULA’s facility. The astronauts are preparing to conduct tests to certify the spacecraft for operational missions, including manual flying exercises and emergency simulations.
Future Missions and ISS Operations
If CFT proceeds as planned, Fincke is slated to lead the first operational mission, Starliner-1, in early 2025. This mission will involve a half-year rotation on the ISS alongside NASA’s Scott Tingle and the Canadian Space Agency’s Joshua Kutryk.
Looking ahead, the ISS will continue to receive crews until 2030, with SpaceX and Boeing alternating astronaut missions to ensure full staffing. The presence of Russian cosmonaut-led crews aboard Soyuz will also be maintained until at least 2028.
Overall, the meticulous preparations and training by NASA astronauts for the upcoming Boeing Starliner launch highlight the commitment to safe and successful missions to the International Space Station.
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