NASA and Boeing finalize Starliner engine tests and proceed with analysis

NASA and Boeing finalize Starliner engine tests and proceed with analysis
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 19, 2024

NASA and Boeing engineers are currently evaluating the results from last week's engine tests conducted at NASA's White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. These efforts are part of the preparations for the return of the Boeing Crew Flight Test from the International Space Station in the coming weeks.

Teams have completed ground hot fire testing at White Sands and are in the process of analyzing the test data and inspecting the test engine. This ground analysis is anticipated to continue throughout the week.

The reaction control system thruster, designed for a future Starliner spacecraft, was subjected to conditions similar to those encountered during its journey to the space station. These tests included stress-case firings and simulated the thruster conditions from undocking to deorbit burn, which slows Starliner's speed to enable reentry and landing in the southwestern United States.

"I am extremely proud of the NASA, Boeing team for their hard work in executing a very complex test series," said Steve Stich, manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

"We collected an incredible amount of data on the thruster that could help us better understand what is going on in flight. Next, our team has moved into engine tear downs and inspections which will provide additional insight as we analyze the results and evaluate next steps."

Ground teams are also preparing for an in-depth Agency Flight Test Readiness Review. This review will assess data related to the spacecraft's propulsion system performance before its return to Earth. The date for this review has not yet been finalized.

NASA and Boeing leadership will discuss the testing and analysis in detail during a media briefing next week. More information on this briefing will be provided soon.

Meanwhile, on the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Starliner mission commander, and Suni Williams, mission pilot, are collaborating with the Expedition 71 crew. On Monday, they conducted vein scans using the Ultrasound 2 device. Doctors on Earth monitored in real-time as Wilmore and Williams took turns imaging each other's neck, shoulder, and leg veins. Wilmore also scanned the veins of fellow NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, aiding researchers in understanding how microgravity impacts the human body.

Additionally, Wilmore and Dominick spent part of their day inventorying the food supplies on the space station. Williams worked on two studies: one exploring the use of microgravity to produce higher-quality optical fibers than on Earth, and another investigating fluid physics, such as surface tension, to address challenges in watering and nourishing plants grown in space.