Boeing Starliner OFT-1 test, wrong orbit, won't dock with ISS

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georgegassaway

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Scott Manley video:


NYT:
Boeing Starliner Launches Into Wrong Orbit After Clock Problem

NASA and Boeing’s test flight of a crewless capsule intended to carry astronauts to the space station will return to Earth without completing its mission.

As an Atlas 5 rocket arced upward into the pre-dawn sky from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Friday morning, NASA’s plans to finally break free of its reliance on Russian rockets for taking astronauts to orbit seemed to be on track.

On top of the rocket was Starliner, a capsule built by Boeing, part of a NASA strategy to delegate to private companies to handle the astronaut transportation.

Half an hour later, something went wrong, signaling that NASA would again face a setback to its goal of renewing human spaceflight to orbit from the United States.

The Starliner test flight, which was intended to test the automated systems and did not carry any astronauts, ended up in the wrong orbit. The mission will now be cut short, without docking at the International Space Station and likely delaying plans that are already a couple of years behind schedule.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/science/boeing-starliner-launch.html
 
Scott Manley video:


NYT:
Boeing Starliner Launches Into Wrong Orbit After Clock Problem

NASA and Boeing’s test flight of a crewless capsule intended to carry astronauts to the space station will return to Earth without completing its mission.

As an Atlas 5 rocket arced upward into the pre-dawn sky from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Friday morning, NASA’s plans to finally break free of its reliance on Russian rockets for taking astronauts to orbit seemed to be on track.

On top of the rocket was Starliner, a capsule built by Boeing, part of a NASA strategy to delegate to private companies to handle the astronaut transportation.

Half an hour later, something went wrong, signaling that NASA would again face a setback to its goal of renewing human spaceflight to orbit from the United States.

The Starliner test flight, which was intended to test the automated systems and did not carry any astronauts, ended up in the wrong orbit. The mission will now be cut short, without docking at the International Space Station and likely delaying plans that are already a couple of years behind schedule.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/science/boeing-starliner-launch.html

Did someone forget Daylight Savings Time?
 
The Starliner software team must have used the same QC group Boeing used for the 737 MAX.
Same flight software team?

Mission clock problem? You've got to be kidding me.

OIG estimates SpaceX's Crew Dragon will cost NASA about $55 million per seat for the first six missions.

OIG estimates that NASA will pay roughly $90 million per seat to fly its astronauts on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

Problem: bloated manning as a result of corporate cultures that existed for a very long time with inadequate competition?

49248091707_0ccc974fb6_k.jpg


 
Boeing isn't doing to well lately, are they?
Makes me worry about my brother and his wife working there.
Ever since they moved Corp. Headquarters out of Seattle they have been plagued with time and cost over runs and a host of other problems.
Even though the Space, Military and Civilian each has it's own divisions, none has been doing well meeting deadlines and budgets for several years.
I think the new year will bring some major changes at Boeing. Stocks are dropping daily as orders are now being cancelled on the MAX.
Air Bus is really giving Boeing a good run in the Civilian Division, as many air lines are replacing Boeing's with different Air Bus models.
 
Boeing isn't doing to well lately, are they?
Makes me worry about my brother and his wife working there.
Ever since they moved Corp. Headquarters out of Seattle they have been plagued with time and cost over runs and a host of other problems.
Even though the Space, Military and Civilian each has it's own divisions, none has been doing well meeting deadlines and budgets for several years.
I think the new year will bring some major changes at Boeing. Stocks are dropping daily as orders are now being cancelled on the MAX.
Air Bus is really giving Boeing a good run in the Civilian Division, as many air lines are replacing Boeing's with different Air Bus models.

Though in theory I agree with this, the write off they would be taking if they were not government subsidized by the A380 debacle would have bankrupted the company.
 
I seen on the News this morning that Boeing CEO (who started out as an intern) was fired.
Can't remember the guy's name, but the Chairman will be taking over CEO as of the 1st.
He was up for CEO about 15 years ago, but was passed over. He's been Chairman for the last 10 years.
His #1 priority is regaining the trust the MAX has taken away, and bring back the downward spiral of stock values.
And of course, get many people back to work from the parts supply to flight attendants.
Southwest has stated once the MAX is recertified, and your not comfortable flying on it, they will accommodate you.
But didn't say same day or destination, which could leave one in a difficult decision making position.
Need to Email my brother and see what he can fill me in on what changes they have planned at Boeing.
Typically, Boeing has a history of telling the press more than it's employees.
Maybe that will change now, as the first statement of the new CEO is to be more "Transparent".
But somehow I don't think he was considering the direct working force of Boeing.
 
NASA Watch is reporting that the clock was 11 HOURS off. The Atlas 5 booster is apparently powered up 11 hours before launch, which is an interesting coincidence.
 
Hmmm let's see.....
The parachute test in November had one chute deployment failure due to someone forgetting to install an attachment pin.
This mission failed to reach the correct orbit due to a clock programmed to the wrong time.
Anybody see a pattern here?
Anybody at Boeing know how to use CHECKLISTS?
DUH!
 
I really like the theory that the Atlas has two clocks, one that starts at booster power up 11 hours before launch and the other that starts at liftoff. If Boeing didn’t pull the right variable and had their black box sim of the Atlas “power up” at liftoff in their ground simulations, they would have this error.

Of course, one would always want to have your integration engineers get the expected variable settings for everything that touches your capsule rather than making assumptions...

As always, I would welcome more info from those who know and/or other theories that match observed facts.
 
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