CCiCap - Commercial Crew Integrated Capability

[LRV_75]

Alex_II пишет:

LRV_75 пишет:
У меня в таблице и есть 2019 год? И сейчас и 4 месяца назад    

Правильно, дурачок... А первый полет с экипажем - 2018 год...

Дебилушка,  несертифицированный полет у меня и стоял и сейчас и 4 месяца назад в 2018 году, а сертифицированный в 2019     

Без сертифицированного полета программа не завершится и от закупки Союзов не откажутся

Чтож ты такой тупенкий

[Alex_II]

LRV_75 пишет:
Дебилушка,несертифицированный полет у меня и стоял и сейчас и 4 месяца назад в 2018 году, а сертифицированный в 2019  

Опять врешь, убогий... Ты изначально о 2019 как годе первого полета трындел. Так что давление то в щёчках сбрось, а то еще лопнут...

[LRV_75]

Alex_II пишет:

LRV_75 пишет:
Дебилушка,несертифицированный полет у меня и стоял и сейчас и 4 месяца назад в 2018 году, а сертифицированный в 2019    

Опять врешь, убогий... Ты изначально о 2019 как годе первого полета трындел. Так что давление то в щёчках сбрось, а то еще лопнут...

Т.е. прямая ссылка на мое сообщение от 15.10.2016 ни о чем не говорит?      
Видите там табличку? 

http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum10/topic14210/message1574860/#message1574860

Интересно, как еще тупому можно пояснить ? 

[Salo]

http://spacenews.com/nasa-developing-contingency-plan-for-commercial-crew-delays/?utm_content=bufferc0d31&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

NASA developing contingency plan for commercial crew delays
by Jeff Foust — February 16, 2017
 
NASA will develop a contingency plan by mid-March to ensure continued access to the ISS if SpaceX's Crew Dragon (left) nd Boeing's CST-100 Starliner suffer additional delays. Credit: SpaceX and Boeing  
 
ORLANDO, Fla. — NASA plans to complete by the middle of March a contingency plan for ensuring access to the International Space Station should its two commercial crew partners suffer additional delays.
In a response included in a U.S. Government Accountability Office report issued Feb. 16, Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for human exploration and operations, concurred with a report recommendation that NASA develop alternative ways of getting astronauts to and fr om the ISS if commercial crew vehicles are not certified once NASA's current contract with Russia for Soyuz flights expires at the end of 2018.
"NASA will develop a contingency plan for maintaining a presence on the ISS beyond 2018 if the Commercial Crew Program's partners experience additional schedule delays," Gerstenmaier wrote. That report, he said, would be completed by March 13.
The GAO recommended the report because of concerns that Boeing and SpaceX will not have their commercial crew vehicles certified to carry astronauts by the end of 2018. Those certification reviews, which will come after both uncrewed and crewed test flights of their vehicles, are intended to confirm that the vehicles are able to safely transport astronauts to and from the station.
The certification review for SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle is currently planned for the third quarter of 2018, after an uncrewed test flight in November 2017 and a crewed test flight in May 2018. That review is at least 15 months later than the original schedule for the vehicle in SpaceX's contract with NASA.
Boeing's CST-100 Starliner is currently scheduled to have its certification review in the fourth quarter of 2018, after an uncrewed flight test in June 2018 and a crewed flight test in August 2018. That review is at least 14 months behind the original schedule in Boeing's contract.
While both companies state they are making good progress on their vehicles after encountering a range of technical issues, NASA is less confident in their ability to remain on their revised schedule. "The Commercial Crew Program is tracking risks that both contractors could experience additional schedule delays and its own analysis indicates that certification is likely to slip into 2019," the GAO report stated.
One challenge in coming up with a contingency plan is that the advance time for purchasing Soyuz seats from the Russian space agency Roscosmos has traditionally been three years, which would have required NASA to purchase seats for 2019 flights to the ISS in 2016. As of last fall, NASA officials had indicated that they had no plans to purchase additional seats.
According to the GAO report, NASA and Roscosmos are discussing one option wh ere they would repeat the "year in space" experiment of 2015 and 2016, when NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko spent nearly one year on the ISS. A second one-year mission, starting in late 2018, would eliminate NASA's need for one seat in mid-2019 as that astronaut would remain on the station until late 2019.
Another option not directly addressed in the report is for NASA to purchase Soyuz seats from Boeing. In January, NASA announced it was considering a Boeing proposal to purchase two Soyuz seats in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018, with an option for three additional seats in 2019. Boeing acquired the seats from Russian company RSC Energia as part of a settlement of a lawsuit between the two companies about the Sea Launch joint venture.
NASA issued a "sources sought" announcement Jan. 17 seeking responses from companies before entering into negotiations with Boeing for a sole-source contract to acquire the seats. Neither Boeing nor NASA have provided an update about any negotiations since that announcement. According to the announcement, NASA has until the fall of 2017 to exercise the option for the Soyuz seats in 2019.
As NASA examines its options, Boeing and SpaceX are dealing with technical issues with their vehicle designs. Boeing's top risks, according to the GAO report, include obtaining adequate information about the capsule's parachute system and getting data on the design of Russian-built RD-180 engines used by the CST-100's launch vehicle, the Atlas 5. The engine data is needed by NASA to verify the engine meets human certification requirements, but access to the data is restricted.
SpaceX's risks involve a number of issues with the design of the Falcon 9, including a concern that frequent updates hinder the development of a stable design of the vehicle. Another issue is previously-reported criticism by some NASA advisers about SpaceX's plans to fuel the Falcon 9 after astronauts have boarded the Dragon spacecraft, rather than fueling the rocket first.
A recent news report stated that NASA had also raised concerns about cracks seen in the turbines of the Falcon 9's engines that NASA deemed an "unacceptable risk" for crewed launches. That issue was included in the GAO report, but it also noted that SpaceX has already made design changes to the turbine that "did not result in any cracking during initial life testing."

[tnt22]

http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/shotwell-to-gao-the-heck-we-wont-fly-before-2019#.WKeILMP9ocg.twitter

Shotwell to GAO: "The [heck] we won't fly before 2019"
 
Marcia S. Smith
Posted: 17-Feb-2017
 Updated: 17-Feb-2017 06:34 PM
 
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell reacted to GAO's report yesterday that commercial crew flights may slip from 2018 to 2019 by expressing utmost confidence in her company's schedule.  At a Kennedy Space Center (KSC) press conference today in advance of SpaceX's commercial cargo launch tomorrow, she said the company's response to GAO is "The [heck] we won't fly before 2019."  
 
 SpaceX is scheduled to launch its 10th operational commercial cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA tomorrow at 10:01 am ET from KSC's historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A)  The press conference was as much about this first use of LC-39A for a Space X mission as about the launch itself.   The launch pad was used for Apollo missions to the Moon and many space shuttle launches, including the first one in 1981. Shotwell and KSC Director Bob Cabana, himself a space shuttle astronaut, struggled to find words to express their excitement about seeing the pad back in use.
 
 
 NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell, and SpaceX Senior Vice President and General Counsel Tim Hughes in front of KSC's Launch Complex 39A, February 17, 2017.  Screengrab from NASA TV.
 
 SpaceX currently takes cargo to the ISS for NASA and also is building a version of its Dragon spacecraft to transport astronauts there.  Yesterday's GAO report assessed the progress SpaceX and its competitor in the commercial crew program, Boeing, are making on their programs.  It warned that neither is likely to meet their current plans to launch crews in 2018 and called on NASA to develop a contingency plan if those capabilities slip to 2019.   NASA agreed to prepare such a plan by March 13.
 
 Asked about the likelihood that SpaceX will meet its 2018 schedule, Shotwell firmly asserted:  "I'm confident we will fly in 2018," adding that their response to the GAO report is "the [heck] we won't fly before 2019."
 
 Tomorrow's launch is on schedule as of press time, but Shotwell was asked about a helium leak that was discovered today.  She explained that the leak is in the Falcon 9's second stage helium system and is being investigated.   The launch remains "go" for now, but she said they would have a better understanding later this evening.   If the launch does not take place tomorrow, the backup launch date is Sunday at 9:38 am ET.   NASA TV will provide live coverage of the launch and a post-launch press conference currently scheduled for 12:00 pm ET tomorrow.

[triage]

А интересно в отчете GOA написано (последнее приведенное предложение)

 http://gao.gov/assets/690/682859.pdf
...
In 2015, the United States modified its contract with Roscosmos to provide crew transportation to the ISS for six astronauts through 2018 with rescue and return through late spring 2019. The contract extension was valued at $491 million or approximately $82 million per seat. NASA's contract with Roscosmos permits it to delay the use of the final seat by up to 6 months to late spring 2019, with a return flight approximately 6 months later.
...

[Salo]

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

[tnt22]

NASA Commercial Crew‏Подлинная учетная запись @Commercial_Crew 3 ч назад

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

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2017/03/29/updated-collector-cards-and-bookmarks-available-now/

Updated Collector Cards and Bookmarks Available Now!
Posted on March 29, 2017 at 2:25 pm by Steven Siceloff.


 
We've updated our collector cards and bookmarks for our aerospace industry partners in NASA's Commercial Crew Program to once again launch astronauts from the U.S.  You can download and print out your own copies today! Boeing, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Corporation and Blue Origin feature in these items that show each company's role. You can read more about the low-Earth orbit marketplace emerging for commercial space companies in our feature, "A New Market Emerges: NASA Partnerships Open the Path from Ground to Space."
                
 This entry was posted in NASA on March 29, 2017 by Steven Siceloff.

[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/)

[свернуть]

[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.

[tnt22]

NASA Commercial Crew‏Подлинная учетная запись @Commercial_Crew 2 ч. назад

Boeing powered up its #Starliner spacecraft in its Florida facility in major step toward flights to @space_station: https://go.nasa.gov/2o6XJWW 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2017/04/06/boeing-powers-on-starliner-spacecraft-for-first-time/

Boeing Powers On Starliner Spacecraft For First Time
Posted on April 6, 2017 at 1:59 pm by Steven Siceloff.

Спойлер

[свернуть]

Engineers for the first time powered up the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft that will fly Boeing's inaugural flight test of the next-generation spacecraft. Working inside Boeing's Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the test team activated the flight avionics system for the Starliner known as Spacecraft 1. The system is the same astronauts will use for all Starliner missions.

The avionics is the complex suite of equipment and software that work together to maneuver the spacecraft in orbit, conduct the rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station and communicating with Mission Control on the ground. Whether under manual control by the crew or in automatic mode, the flight computers have to work seamlessly with the thrusters,  guidance and navigation system and other subsystems to perform the mission and then return back to Earth safely.

The Starliner is being built as an upper half and lower half that will be bolted together following successful systems testing. Once completed, Spacecraft 1 will be launched without a crew on a flight test to demonstrate its capability to abort a mission from the launch pad in the unlikely event of an emergency. Later flight tests will demonstrate Starliners in orbital missions to the station without a crew, and then with astronauts aboard. The flight tests will preview the crew rotation missions future Starliners will perform as they take up to four astronauts at a time to the orbiting laboratory in order to enhance the research taking place there. Photo credits: Boeing

This entry was posted in NASA on April 6, 2017 by Steven Siceloff.

[tnt22]

Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 18 мин. назад

FEATURE ARTICLE: Commercial Crew on tight but achievable timeline for crewed flights in 2018 - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/commercial-crew-tight-achievable-timeline-2018/ ... - by @CwG_NSF

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/commercial-crew-tight-achievable-timeline-2018/

Commercial Crew on tight but achievable timeline for crewed flights in 2018
April 7, 2017 by Chris Gebhardt

 

The long and arduous process of achieving commercial crew transportation services to space is closing in on an important milestone. At a recent update to the NASA Advisory Council, NASA's commercial crew transportation services program manager discussed numerous aspects to SpaceX and Boeing's progress over the last few months and revealed that, while the timeline is tight, the two companies are on track for their scheduled crew demo flights of Dragon and Starliner in 2018.

Commercial Crew services – gaining ground on 2018 crewed test flights:

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As part of the standard series of reviews before the NASA Advisory Council (NAC), NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) has provided an update on SpaceX and Boeing's initiatives to provide crew launch services to the International Space Station beginning next year.



Overall, the presentation by Ms. Kathryn Lueders, Manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, to the NAC was overwhelmingly positive, with Ms. Lueders noting that she's been "impressed with how both these providers with their fixed price contracts are not writing off their issues.  They're not saying it's okay.  They are going and doing the testing and the work that needs to be done. 

"And I've been super impressed with how they've done that."

Ms. Lueders was specifically referencing the tight but achievable timelines both SpaceX and Boeing have in order to meet the current projected dates for both company's crewed demo flights of Dragon and Starliner, respectively.

Both of those flights are currently scheduled for 2018 – with SpaceX's crewed demo in May and Boeing's in August.
 
When asked by a NAC member about the crewed launch dates for next year, Ms. Lueders stated, "I think a lot of things have to go our way.  I think they are pretty tough right now.

"But I would say [those dates] are not impossible.  I think the providers have a plan to get there for at least their crewed demos next year.  I think it's a little tougher to say for the PCM."

The PCMs – the Post-Certification Missions – are the contracted flights NASA has with SpaceX and Boeing for full commercial crew transportation and lifeboat services with the ISS.

"The schedule doesn't have a lot of margin, so I think it's very challenging," stated Ms. Lueders.  "We just have a whole lot of work in front of us, but [both providers] would like to fly as soon as possible. I think the big challenge right now is to fly when we're all ready to fly and working through that."



Regardless of the challenges still facing both Boeing and SpaceX in their development of crew transportation services, none of those prevented NASA from awarding PCMs 3-6 to both providers in December 2016.

According to Ms. Lueders, "This is important for us because we wanted to really let both providers understand and lay out what's the best way for them to reliably fulfill the whole portion of the contract.  [Awarding PCMs 3-6 to each] gives them some stability" to go do that.

However, Ms. Lueders noted that even though these PCMs have been awarded, the specific mission requirements are still at NASA's full discretion and the agency is continuing to work with both SpaceX and Boeing to "burn down key certification products with the providers."



With these awards, both SpaceX and Boeing have four missions for each of them for commercial crew rotation services and lifeboat activities for the US segment crew on Station at upcoming dates.

"We now have these missions in flow," stated Ms. Lueders.  "We're really getting into how we're going to conduct these missions."

At present, the CCP office is working with SpaceX and Boeing to make sure all parties involved understand the requirements that need to be closed out and met for each of the upcoming demonstration missions – both uncrewed and crewed – so that all flight test objectives are planned for and met properly.

Likewise, "We've also been designing the commercial crew work with providers and how we work with the Station so that the whole timeline syncs up because we really want to make sure that we streamline all of our reviews as we're approaching FRR (Flight Readiness Review) so the providers aren't having to integrate everything themselves."



Ms. Lueders also touched upon how NASA is approaching the launch of crew members, government employees, on commercial vehicles that have to undergo FAA licensing for launch.

"Another thing we've been working is that this is going to be a new way of doing things – it will be the first crewed mission under FAA licensing."

This means that the first commercial crew launches of government employees will represent the first instances that certain sections of the FAA oversight guidelines governing commercial space vehicles are exercised.

According to Ms. Lueders, "We've been working and collaborating with multiple agencies to make sure we can facilitate how this is going to work.



"And then through that interaction we'll hopefully have everything defined well enough that it makes the providers' job of meeting these regulatory standards as streamlined as possible."

Moreover, the CCP has been working closely with the Eastern Range and the Air Force to "synergize [their] certification efforts."

Specifically, this relates to search and rescue and recovery operations that are needed to support the launch of crewed vehicles.

This has resulted, according to Ms. Lueders, in the creation of a launch and entry steering group with representatives from the FAA, the Air Force, the Eastern Range, and NASA all working to provide a "forum for all the agencies to ... establish guidelines and strategies" for this new approach to crew launch and landing operations.

 ...
(Images: NASA and L2 artist Nathan Koga – The full gallery of Nathan's (SpaceX Dragon to MCT, SLS, Commercial Crew and more) L2 images can be *found here*))

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[tnt22]

Управление Генерального инспектора НАСА 2017-04-13 выпустило документ "NASA's Plans for Human Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit" (77 стр, 6694172 B)

https://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY17/IG-17-017.pdf

и видео

https://oig.nasa.gov/Video/IG-17-017.html
( - 4:39)

[LRV_75]

tnt22 пишет:
Управление Генерального инспектора НАСА 2017-04-13 выпустило документ "NASA's Plans for Human Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit" (77 стр, 6694172 B)

 https://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY17/IG-17-017.pdf

и видео

 https://oig.nasa.gov/Video/IG-17-017.html
( - 4:39)

стр.5. Ключевая картинка. НАСА планирует птлотируемую высадку на марс в фазе 4b, т.е. в промежутке 2040-2045 год

Маск без НАСА на Марс не полетит. Ну вот, со сроками определились

[tnt22]

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/commercial-crew-spacecraft-will-offer-a-quick-escape-from-station

April 20, 2017

 Commercial Crew Spacecraft Will Offer a Quick Escape fr om Station


 
 By Steven Siceloff,
 NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida

New, American-made spacecraft flying to the International Space Station will play a big role in bringing resident crews back home to Earth, but their missions also include the ability to provide the orbiting laboratory with a temporary shelter in case of an emergency in space, or even a safe ride back to Earth with short notice.

The scenarios that would call for the spacecraft to operate as space-borne lifeboats have not occurred on the International Space Station before, but mission planners have long made sure they are prepared. An electrical issue or ammonia leak on the space station could call for astronauts to shelter inside a Commercial Crew Program spacecraft long enough to correct the problem.

A medical emergency requiring surgery on an astronaut would be a case demanding immediate evacuation from orbit to Earth, something the spacecraft supporting NASA missions would be equipped to handle. The Soyuz spacecraft handle the lifeboat capability needs for the station's current crews.

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The need for a quick departure is more than a luxury for the space station. Every person on the orbiting complex has a specific emergency seat assigned throughout their mission that they have to get to if the need arises. Because there are limits to how many seats are available at a time, there also is a lim it to how many residents can live and work there.

What does it mean for a spacecraft to be capable of serving as a lifeboat? As with all the needs for the new spacecraft, NASA outlined a list of requirements for designers to meet. For the most part, it means the spacecraft can be powered on quickly while docked to the station, even if it has been dormant for weeks or a couple of months. From air circulation fans to life support systems to thrusters, the spacecraft's systems will be designed to engage in minutes.

"Some systems will take longer to bring online, but the idea is to have spacecraft that astronauts can get into quickly for survival and then use to pull away from the station and come home if that is needed," said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "Defining exactly what that means, and what the companies can do to make it real was the hard part. That's why we took a teamwork approach from the start and why we've treated this as a partnership."

Boeing and SpaceX, each working on their own crew-capable spacecraft — the CST-100 Starliner and Crew Dragon, respectively — are testing their systems thoroughly on Earth before they undergo evaluation in orbit without a crew aboard, and then on a short mission with astronauts. Their performances in space – without an actual emergency – are to be considered carefully before NASA certifies the companies to fly operational missions, which could see a spacecraft docked to the station for months at a time.

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Last Updated: April 20, 2017
Editor: Steven Siceloff

[Apollo13]

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/fy_2017_budget_estimates.pdf

По состоянию на начало 2016 года.

[Salo]

 James Dean‏Подлинная учетная запись @flatoday_jdean  3 ч.3 часа назад  
Lightfoot: Astros to launch from U.S. soil "here in a couple of years." Docs say SpaceX targeting certification by Aug. '18, Boeing Oct. '18