CST-100

[che wi]

Stephen Clark‏@StephenClark1  1m ago

ASAP's John Frost, discussing commercial crew risks, says one of the top risks in Boeing CST-100 program is certification of RD-180 engine.

[Salo]

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/02/commercial-rotation-us-segment-crew-increase-early/

[tnt22]

Parachute Campaign Tests Designs to Provide Astronauts a Soft Landing

[tnt22]

NASA Commercial Crew‏Подлинная учетная запись @Commercial_Crew 42 мин назад
 
See a preview of how @BoeingDefense #Starliner returns to Earth for @NASA missions to @Space_Station: http://go.nasa.gov/2n8qLq5

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/campaign-tests-parachutes-designed-to-provide-astronauts-a-soft-landing

March 10, 2017
 
 Campaign Tests Parachutes Designed to Provide Astronauts a Soft Landing

Спойлер

 
A high-altitude balloon lifts off in White Sands, New Mexico, carrying a boilerplate of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner to perform a drop test of the spacecraft's parachute system. The spacecraft was taken to 38,000 feet and released, picking up the same speed as it will have coming back from orbit, before opening its parachutes.
Credits: Boeing

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Seen from the top hatch of the Starliner boilerplate, parachutes deploy as planned to land the boilerplate safely during a test of the parachute system.
Credits: Boeing
 
 By Joshua Finch,
 NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A flight-sized boilerplate of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner touched down gently under parachutes against the backdrop of the San Andres Mountains in late February, providing a preview of how the spacecraft will return to Earth in upcoming NASA missions. Boeing is developing the Starliner to take astronauts to and from the International Space Station in partnership with NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The parachute test is one in a series that will allow the vehicle to pick up the same velocity as the actual spacecraft when returning to Earth in the southwest region of the United States from the International Space Station. The goal of the test series is to prove the design of the Starliner's parachutes.

"Completion of this test campaign will bring Boeing and NASA one step closer to launching astronauts on an American vehicle and bringing them home safely," said Mark Biesack, spacecraft systems lead for the agency's Commercial Crew Program.

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The test began at the Spaceport America facility near the Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. During the test, the Starliner was lifted about 40,000 feet in the air, the flying altitude of a typical commercial airline flight, by a Near Space Corp. helium balloon and then released over the White Sands Missile Range.

Given the flight-like characteristics and the large size of the capsule, Boeing was not able to fit the Starliner test article into the hold of a C-130 or C-17 aircraft. Their solution, a 1.3-million-cubic-foot balloon, which is able to lift the capsule to its intended altitude.

"This parachute test, as well as the subsequent tests in Boeing's qualification test campaign, provides valuable data, because the test article has the same mass, outer mold line, and center of gravity as the flight vehicle," said Biesack. "The high-fidelity data they receive from these tests will anchor predicted models of realistic parachute deployment."

Attached underneath the Starliner boilerplate was a large, yellow stabilization weight used to orient the test vehicle's angle of attack and speed of descent. As the Starliner descended to the desert at speeds of 300 miles per hour, a series of dynamic events slowed the spacecraft. Shortly after the Starliner was released from the balloon, the spacecraft deployed two drogue parachutes at 28,000 feet to stabilize the spacecraft, then its pilot parachutes at 12,000 feet. The main parachutes followed at 8,000 feet above the ground prior to the jettison of the spacecraft's base heat shield at 4,500 feet. Finally, the spacecraft touched the ground lightly, kicking up the desert sand.

During missions to the station, the Starliner will be equipped with large air bags that will cushion the impact during landing. The Boeing design calls for the spacecraft to be reused up to ten times, and a land-landing will aid with reusability. In the event of an emergency, the spacecraft also can splash down in the ocean.

The Starliner spacecraft will launch on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA also is partnering with SpaceX to develop a crew transportation system all in an effort to return to U.S. human spaceflight launches from American soil. SpaceX will launch its Crew Dragon spacecraft on the company's Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 
 
 

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Last Updated: March 10, 2017
Editor: Steven Siceloff

[triage]

От Боинга с лучшим качеством


Прям какая-то гонка тестирования возвращения. Старлайнер, Орион... обещают DreamChaser

[tnt22]

SPACE.com‏Подлинная учетная запись @SPACEdotcom 30 мин. назад

Flight-Sized Boeing Capsule Dropped From Balloon - On-Board Camera Video http://dlvr.it/NcWj5g
 

http://www.space.com/36034-flight-sized-boeing-capsule-dropped-from-balloon-on-board-camera-video.html
Add-on
ТыТруба подоспела (2:08)

[Apollo13]

Chute tests for Starliner as ASAP worry about RD-180 certification

[Salo]

The current schedule shows the Boe-OFT flight, which will be an uncrewed test of the Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, will occur throughout June 2018.
A roughly two-week crewed test flight of CST-100 will then occur in August 2018, ready for the start of limited operational commercial crew flights starting in late September 2018.

[Salo]

 Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust  50 мин.50 минут назад  
Updated commercial crew milestone chart from NASA's Kathy Lueders:
 

[tnt22]

NASA Commercial Crew‏Подлинная учетная запись @Commercial_Crew 20 мин. назад

Updated Collector Cards and Bookmarks Available Now! Download and Print yours! https://go.nasa.gov/2nBa9Gv

ccp-upadtedboeingbookmark.pdfcollectorcard2017-boeing.pdf

[silentpom]

а без бустеров 401й не справится?

[silentpom]

других комментариев нет, честное слово

[tnt22]

Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 38 мин. назад

ARTICLE: SLC-41 completes EES installation ahead of Starliner missions - (plus SLS EES upd ate) - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/slc-41-completes-ees-starliner-missions/ ...

Спойлер

[свернуть]

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/slc-41-completes-ees-starliner-missions/

SLC-41 completes EES installation ahead of Starliner missions
April 3, 2017 by Chris Bergin
 
 

An Emergency Egress System (EES) has completed its installation into the Crew Access Tower (CAT) at Space Launch Complex -41 (SLC-41) in preparation for Atlas V launches with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The EES is a vital element for all crew launch vehicles, with the SLC-41 EES working with the traditional "slide wire" concept.
 
 SLC-41 EES:

The requirement to have an Emergency Egress System (EES) is not just for the astronauts se t to ride uphill fr om the launch pad, but also for the engineering teams who's role includes working up close and personal with the rocket in the final days of the pad flow.



ULA began evaluating options for SLC-41 during a period Atlas V was catering for two crew-capable vehicles options, namely Starliner – or CST-100 as it was known – and Sierra Nevada Corporation's (SNC) and their Dream Chaser spacecraft.

"Different options for emergency egress. Detailed hazard analysis of the launch operations is a key determinant," noted the since-retired Dr. George Sowers, ULA VP for Human Launch Services, during a Q&A session with NASASpaceFlight.com members in 2012. "We have the option of implementing a shuttle-like slide wire system if required."

Although Atlas V is still hoping to launch Dream Chaser missions, the spacecraft's role has been refocused on cargo missions. The EES option will still be employed for pad crews tending to the spacecraft. However, the highlighted role will be for astronauts riding on the Starliner.

Спойлер

The historical heritage of the EES hardware has mainly been based around utilizing a fairly simple, gravity-powered systems with a requirement to be passive/unpowered, in case the emergency cut power to the pad. However, each option had a different take on a similar theme.



The first EES for the Saturn V used the existing launch tower elevators to evacuate crew and/or engineers to the base of the Mobile Launch Platform, before transferring to a "slide tube" that led in an underground rubber room/sealed blast room – which remains in a preserved condition at Complex 39. (Large photo collection available on L2 – LINK).

A second system was added a few years later, adding the option of a single cab on a slide wire that egressed the astronauts outside of the pad perimeter – known as the Blast Danger Area (BDA) – 2,400 feet away fr om the pad. From there, they would enter a sealed bunker and await rescue.

This slide wire system was expanded by the time the Space Shuttle began its service for NASA, with extra emphasis on the pad EES, not least because a pad abort was not possible via the vehicle, due to the lack of a LAS.



Engineers installed five slide wires to the launch tower – later expanded to seven – with baskets that could hold up to four people each.

These slidewires ended at the same Apollo bunkers outside the BDA, wh ere personnel could wait out the disaster or transfer to an armored vehicle (M-113) and drive to a triage site wh ere they could be met by rescue personnel.

The slide wire option remained relatively unchanged throughout its career with the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) and was thankfully never required or used in anger.

It was used – mostly uncrewed – during emergency drills carried out on occasions such as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), allowing the crew to practice their evacuation plans.



With ULA working on SLC-41 during regular Atlas V missions, this week's announcement that a final test of the pad's EES has been conducted is another step towards seeing US astronauts launching from the Cape.

"ULA is absolutely focused on the safety of the crews we will be supporting and although we hope to never use it, we are excited to announce the Emergency Egress System is fully operational," said Gary Wentz, Vice President of Human & Commercial Services.

"Through our partnership with Terra-Nova, a company that designs and builds zip lines for recreational use, a modified, off-the-shelf product has been designed and constructed to meet our needs and reduce costs, while maintaining reliability and safety."



The egress cables are situated on level 12 of the Crew Access Tower (CAT), 172 feet above the Space Launch Complex 41 pad deck and will allow the crew to evacuate the CAT quickly to a landing zone more than 1,340 feet from the launch vehicle.

The EES can accommodate up to 20 personnel, including ground crew and flight crew.

ULA noted that Terra-Nova, LLC (makers of the ZipRider Hybrid) offered a commercially developed EES based on their "off-the-shelf," patented designs.

The ZipRider was easily adaptable to ULA's specific needs while offering an unmatched safety record, and providing the best overall value.



With Boeing's Chris Ferguson – a former Shuttle commander – enjoying a test ride on the system ahead of its installation at SLC-41, it takes just 30 seconds for the rider to reach a top speed of 40 mph. The riders control their speed by releasing pressure on the handles, with the ability to glide to a gentle stop at the landing zone.

There are 30 feet of springs on each cable located in the landing area to gradually slow a rider down if they forget to brake. Terra-Nova will install a training system located north of the CAT for riders to practice on before final training on the operational EES.

"Crew safety is paramount, and the ULA emergency egress system hits the mark for an effective yet simple system that is adapted from other commercial applications," said Commander Ferguson, Boeing director of Starliner Crew and Mission Systems.
 
"We look forward to spaceflight operations next year knowing that every measure to protect the flight and ground crew has been employed."

There's also been internal movement on the EES that will be employed for the Space Launch System (SLS) on Pad 39B, years after a trade study began to evaluate the best EES option for safely evacuating crew and engineers from the dizzy heights of the Mobile Launcher (ML). Teams have been told to accelerate options in light of the recent study into changing Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1) into a crewed mission.



Currently, only one patchy render of the system has been acquired (L2) – showing the use of a massive crane.

"Members of the Operations Integration and Analysis team developed, modeled, and created images of an Emergency Egress System concept in support of the Crewed SLS EM-1 Mission Study," noted a memo via L2.

"The orange frame depicts the fixture with the four baskets lifted by a mobile crane and attached to the west side of the Mobile Launcher. The ground distance from the tower to the end of the slide wire is over 1100 feet, and the wire would be approximately 1300ft long. These images were used in the crewed EM-1 impact briefing to NASA Headquarters."

The use of a massive crane will be far cheaper than the recommended option from the 2006 study for the since-cancelled Ares I launch vehicle EES, once again pitching several very different designs against each other – including a slide wire system.



The winner of the 2006 study was the spectacular Roller Coaster EES – a giant structure that would have been a permanent fixture out at Pad 39B, rising into the Florida skyline ready to be hooked up to the ML once it had rolled out to the pad with the vehicle.

The Roller Coaster EES included a multi-car high-speed rail system and used gravity to get personnel to a safe haven. It was deemed to be very accommodating to incapacitated crew members as well as limited 3G forces on the people riding the cars with a passive electromagnetic braking system.

It underwent a few redesigns during the life of the Constellation Program, including options to extend the rails to an area outside the BDA directly into a triage site.



For this system, NASA relied on many different areas of expertise: Safety, Medical, Operations Personnel, and the Astronaut Office. Engineers involved in Disney's roller coaster systems were also part of the design project.

The 2006 trade study – (available on L2 LINK) – helped explain the requirements of the future EES, of which there are numerous considerations. These considerations will be playing into the SLS trade study discussions.

"The EES starts at the crew hatch of the Orion and terminates at the designated safe area. Once the crew access arm is extended, a maximum of 2 minutes for 15 able bodied personnel (six crew members, three closeout crew members, and six fire/rescue members) is allowed to move from the hatch to inside the safe area during vehicle processing at the pad up to T-0.



"The EES shall provide a safe area built to withstand possible blast, fire, and flying debris within the 5,000-ft blast danger area of the tower. The EES shall accommodate the following hazards at the pad: fire, propellant spills, tank overpressure, radioactive-material release, and toxic atmosphere.

"The EES shall provide a clear route from Orion hatch to the egress vehicles with provision for 0.25 gpm/sq ft of water spray and fire detection for the EES before entering the vehicles."

The list continued for two pages, and despite being by far the most expensive, the Roller Coaster EES scored the highest in nearly all of the requirement categories.



The 2006 study design was refined again in 2008, mainly relating to the initial drop from the ML, in turn providing a CGI view from both onboard the coaster and viewing it drop from various viewpoints (L2 Link to Video).

However, the Constellation Program was then canceled.

Pad 39A's EES will be mainly focused around the needs of the pad engineers, given astronauts onboard the Dragon 2 will find their spacecraft will be the fastest way of egressing the pad in the event of an emergency ahead of launch.

Dragon 2 will fire her SuperDraco thrusters in the event of a pad abort scenario, as has already been tested.

(Images: Via Boeing, ULA and L2's specific sections. To join L2, click here: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/)

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[tnt22]

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 14 ч. назад

Boeing's Chris Ferguson sits in the zip line chair that will be used for the pad egress system for Starliner launches from Pad 41.

[tnt22]

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 14 ч. назад

This was fr om a Boeing/ULA event at Royal Gorge, Colo., wh ere Boeing also showed off its Starliner spacesuit.

[Salo]

По ссылке видео:
https://twitter.com/BoeingDefense/status/848679836247871490

 Boeing DefenseПодлинная учетная запись @BoeingDefense
Zip line to lifeline: @ULALaunch + #Starliner emergency egress system covers 1,300+ feet, reaches 40 mph in 30 seconds #SS33 #BoeingSpace

[tnt22]

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 16 ч. назад

ULA worked w/Terra-Nova, which designs & creates rec zip lines, to modify ZipRider to meet our needs for the EES #AtlasV #Starliner

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 16 ч. назад

Completing Emergency Egress System testing is another step complete as we prepare to launch crew in @BoeingDefense #Starliner atop #AtlasV

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 17 ч. назад

Zip line to safety: ULA completes final testing on its Emergency Egress System. #Starliner #AtlasV @BoeingDefense http://bit.ly/2oquaBb

Спойлер

[свернуть]

http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-completes-crew-emergency-egress-system.aspx

United Launch Alliance Completes Crew Emergency Egress System

ULA and Terra-Nova Zipline provide NASA and commercial astronauts with safe, new generation egress option

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (April 2, 2017) – The final test of the Emergency Egress System (EES) was conducted recently, signifying the completion of another United Launch Alliance (ULA) milestone supporting NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The EES was developed in support of Boeing's Starliner crew capsule and is a means of rapid egress for astronauts in case of an anomaly.

"ULA is absolutely focused on the safety of the crews we will be supporting, and, although we hope to never use it, we are excited to announce the Emergency Egress System is fully operational," said Gary Wentz, vice president of Human & Commercial Services. "Through our partnership with Terra-Nova, a company that designs and builds zip lines for recreational use, a modified, off-the-shelf product has been designed and constructed to meet our needs and reduce costs, while maintaining reliability and safety."

The egress cables are situated on level 12 of the Crew Access Tower (CAT), 172 feet above the Space Launch Complex 41 pad deck at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and will allow the crew to evacuate the CAT quickly to a landing zone more than 1,340 feet from the launch vehicle. The EES can accommodate up to 20 personnel, including ground crew and flight crew.

Terra-Nova, LLC (makers of the ZipRider® Hybrid) offered a commercially developed EES based on their "off-the-shelf," patented designs. The ZipRider was easily adaptable to ULA's specific needs, while offering an unmatched safety record, and providing the best overall value.

In just 30 seconds, the rider reaches top speeds of 40 mph. The riders control their speed by releasing pressure on the handles, with the ability to glide to a gentle stop at the landing zone. There are 30 feet of springs on each cable located in the landing area to gradually slow a rider down if they forget to brake. Terra-Nova will install a training system located north of the CAT for riders to practice on before final training on the operational EES.

The Boeing Company is developing Starliner and sel ected ULA's Atlas V rocket for human-rated spaceflight to the International Space Station. ULA's Atlas V has launched more than 70 times with a 100 percent mission success rate.

"Crew safety is paramount, and the ULA Emergency Egress System hits the mark for an effective yet simple system that is adapted fr om other commercial applications," said Chris Ferguson, Boeing director of Starliner Crew and Mission Systems and a former NASA astronaut. "We look forward to spaceflight operations next year knowing that every measure to protect the flight and ground crew has been employed."

With more than a century of combined heritage, United Launch Alliance is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 115 satellites to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321). Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch.          

[tnt22]

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 26 мин. назад

Final qualification, loads analyses. Flight design. Final assembly. Preparing to launch #Starliner in 2018.

Atlas V Starliner 2017: Preparing to Launch Astronauts to the Space Station

United Launch Alliance is thrilled to be working with Boeing to launch astronauts aboard Boeing's Starliner atop ULA's #AtlasV rocket. Here's what's in store for 2017 as we prepare to launch astronauts to the Space Station beginning in 2018.

[tnt22]

SpaceFlight Insider‏ @SpaceflightIns 17 мин. назад

Returning astronauts safely: Starliner test provides crucial re-entry data

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/boeing/returning-astronauts-safely-starliner-test-provides-crucial-re-entry-data/

Returning astronauts safely: Starliner test provides crucial re-entry data
April 3rd, 2017

by Tomasz Nowakowski

[/COLOR]

Спойлер

A high-altitude balloon lifts off in White Sands, New Mexico, carrying a boilerplate of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner to perform a drop test of the spacecraft's parachute system. Photo Credit: Boeing

[свернуть]

Boeing is currently in the midst of parachute drop tests for its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which are being carried out to ensure future astronauts a safe return from space. The latest test, conducted March 10, 2017, at Spaceport America in New Mexico, provided a wealth of data essential for the safety of crews during re-entry into the atmosphere.

During the test, a giant helium-filled balloon lifted off from Spaceport America, carrying a flight-sized boilerplate Starliner spacecraft up to about 40,000 feet (12,200 meters). It floated east across the San Andres Mountains for a parachute landing on the other side at White Sands Missile Range.

Спойлер

"What the balloon launch and release enabled us to do is to test the highest-fidelity Starliner capsule possible in terms of size, shape and weight," Rebecca Regan of Boeing's Defense, Space and Security (BDS) division told SpaceFlight Insider, "Performing this in New Mexico enabled us to take the vehicle up to about 40,000 feet before releasing it."
 

Seen from the top hatch of the Starliner boilerplate, parachutes deploy as planned to land the vehicle safely during a test of the parachute system. Photo Credit: Boeing

 After the capsule was released from the balloon, it deployed two drogue parachutes designed to stabilize the spacecraft at 28,000 feet (8,530 meters). Next, at approximately 12,000 feet (3,650 meters) above the surface, Starliner opened its pilot parachutes, while its main parachutes were deployed at 8,000 feet (2,440 meters), before the spacecraft's base heat shield was jettisoned.

"We placed sensors onboard the boilerplate spacecraft that collected data real-time, and we're able to provide that to NASA as insight into how we'll be giving astronauts a safe return from space," Regan said.

Engineers will use the data collected during the test to verify parachute inflation characteristics and landing system performance, as well as the altitude and descent rate of the Starliner spacecraft at touchdown. Analyses of the data will tell if the parachute system can stabilize and decelerate the capsule to a nominal terminal descent velocity, what is necessary in order to achieve a safe landing.

The parachute drop tests campaign is part of the final development and certification effort under way for the CST-100 Starliner in collaboration with NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

"These qualification tests are more comprehensive than our initial drop tests, which were meant to prove out concepts, capture data and influence the final design," Regan said. "We are now testing all of the subsystems and systems together and replicating the environment the spacecraft would encounter on an entry from orbit, including the parachutes, the avionics systems, the pyros and the deployment sequence."

While the test conducted in late February simulated a nominal return from space, Boeing now plans to introduce anomalies into future tests to see how the vehicle recovers from something like a drogue failure or a main parachute failure.

Starliner's next parachute drop tests in the New Mexico area are planned to be carried out over the next few months.

The CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was designed to accommodate seven passengers, or a mix of crew and cargo, for missions to low-Earth orbit. For NASA service missions to ISS, it will carry up to four NASA-sponsored crew members and time-critical scientific research.

Regan confirmed that Starliner is on track for an uncrewed orbital flight test in June 2018 and a crewed flight test to ISS with one NASA and one Boeing astronaut onboard in August 2018.

Video courtesy of Boeing

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[tnt22]

Atlas V Starliner 2017: Preparing to Launch Astronauts to the Space Station

(2:32)

Опубликовано: 3 апр. 2017 г.

United Launch Alliance is thrilled to be working with Boeing to launch astronauts aboard Boeing's Starliner atop ULA's #AtlasV rocket. Here's what's in store for 2017 as we prepare to launch astronauts to the Space Station beginning in 2018.