Preparations for NASA’s Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test Launch are in progress.
Launch time: 12:25 pm ET
"The two NASA astronauts aboard, flight commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams, will test the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system, including launch, docking, and return to Earth. After a one-week stay docked to the International Space Station, the Starliner and crew will land under parachutes in the western United States."
"ULA is using a specialized version of AtlasV to launch Starliner. It is distinguished by two side-mounted solid-fuel boosters, a Dual Engine Centaur upper stage and a Launch Vehicle Adapter with aeroskirt. The rocket stands 172 feet tall and weighs 979,000 pounds at launch."
Starliner mass is ~29,000 lb, a small fraction of the rocket mass. It takes a lot of rocket and fuel to escape earth's gravity!
Unfortunately, the launch has been scrubbed for today at T-3 minutes.
Scrub cause not announced yet.
Although it sounds like software - "due to the computer ground launch sequencer not loading into the correct operational configuration after proceeding into terminal count."
No doubt there are tighter checks and controls on a crewed mission.
Will try again, new date TBD.
Next available launch window is on Sunday, June 2, 12:03 p.m. ET.
Starliner crew Butch and Suni being evacuated now.
Disappointing yes, but these tough professionals and their supporting personnel will be ready for the next launch with the same enthusiasm and diligence as today. #NASA#Boeing#ULA
8/n
Zooming in on a peculiar white rock in Neretva Vallis
This is a combination of three SuperCam RMI images and one Mastcam-Z image taken by the #Perseverance mars rover.
The images were taken two days ago on Sol 1164.
Last minute change to the Boeing CFT manifest — a urine processor on the ISS failed, apparently, and Boeing is taking a new one up for them. They had to pull off crew suitcases to make room.
Nuts, bolts, rivets, springs, metal sheets, brackets, cables, connectors, wave-guides, antennas, all designed by naturally intelligent (NI™) beings and assembled by their dexterous hands to form a multi-functional creature that was sent to operate on an inhospitable planet 15 light-minutes away, and which is presently capturing images of what appears to be an epic "selfie" at a hill in the middle of a long since dry ancient riverbed.
ULA - Boeing Starliner CFT
Atlas V N22 from CCSFS LC-41
Note: I am going to do an abbreviated version of my standard Saturday morning computer systems maintenance, so I may not be online to post when any particular webcast goes live.
ULA - Boeing Starliner CFT
Atlas V N22 from CCSFS LC-41
NASA: "NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) scrubbed today’s launch opportunity due to the computer ground launch sequencer not loading into the correct operational configuration after proceeding into terminal count. The ULA team is working to understand the cause."