Can it really? Can they dock together? The common dock is with the Space Station. So any rescue would have to happen before the StarLiner would leave the station.
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is 'go' for May 6 astronaut launch
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Can it really? Can they dock together? The common dock is with the Space Station. So any rescue would have to happen before the StarLiner would leave the station.
terryg
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You are probably right, it would only make sence that two designs from the same country and having the same goals would be compatable. So of course they would not be compatable. So the question becomes could the space suits they wear at launch keep them alive long enough to do a quick transfer to another undocked spacecraft or would we have to listen to a crew die with safety a few feet away?
Have you seen the new suits? They don't look like EVA suits at all , but what do I know.
Is the Dragon designed to open a hatch to raw space? We never saw an Apollo need to do it, but it was in the specs. Gemini was the two seat sports car that did. It's still the fastest 2 seat vehicle on record, Gordo Cooper's was a single seat record.
Docks likely be Male to Female, a rescue would need a docking adapter I would think.
I thought the docking ports were hermaphroditic? I could be wrong though. Happy for someone to chime in with facts 
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billmi
Active Member
No, they can't - but they should.
Both docking adapters are based in the International Docking System Standard, which allows docking ports to be androgynous (active or passive). However, what Boeing and SpaceX have built only have the active components, they don't have the passive petals for an active docking ring to grab onto for the soft capture.
In both cases, those parts could be added, but they haven't been so far.
Multiple spacewalks were done from Apollo capsules which required depressurizing the capsule, such as when repairing Skylab and during the later Apollo missions to retrieve film canisters from an experiment bay in the service module.
The Intravehicular Activity suits used in Crew Dragon and Starliner have no life support systems and are tied to the capsules life support with short tethers. They can only be used in their seats, in case of emergency depressurization. SpaceX has developed an EVA version of the same suit with a long tether, that will be tested later this year on the Polaris Dawn mission, along with the systems to allow Crew Dragon to repressurize after depressurizing. Due to the tether, those suits won't really work for transferring between vehicles.
Presumably, for a rescue mission, the rescue capsule would need to be equipped with passive capture petals. The reality is that neither Crew Dragon or Starliner can be prepped to fly an unplanned mission in the amount of time either vehicle can support a crew in orbit.
Yes, the next Polaris mission will feature an EVA, though it will require the depressurization of the entire cabin, as far as I know.
Apollos 15, 16, and 17 featured a deep space EVA performed by the CMP on the way back to Earth to retrieve data and film from the instrument bays on the service module.
No. They look like they are, but they are not.
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Also Apollo 9 did one in Earth orbit. Always loved this photo.
NTP2
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Just imagine how that would make Boeing look!
ps WHT IDIOT HAD THE IDEA TO NOT HAVE THE PETALS!!
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So the question is do you risk a short space walk holding your breath or....do nothing. Of course that is the worst case scenario one could imagine. There are details for sure...
However, I have no doubt either agency is even remotely prepared to mount a rescue attempt in any fashion...
However, I have no doubt either agency is even remotely prepared to mount a rescue attempt in any fashion...
MClark
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Helping with a rescue is a guaranteed lose.
If they die it's your fault even if there was no way to save them
NASA would require their procedures and safety protocols.
Astronauts run out of air before the kickoff meeting
If they die it's your fault even if there was no way to save them
NASA would require their procedures and safety protocols.
Astronauts run out of air before the kickoff meeting
NTP2
Well-Known Member
Does it have a CDRA and ORS system or is it just a bunch of soda lime?
Two words: Mass Budget
Edit to add: Not defending Boeing on it, but there’s a pretty obvious reason for dropping parts that might be extra weight for no planned mission usage.
Yep, June 1.
The small button size seal where it is leaking cannot be replaced without taking apart the capsule.
So they're launching with the leak.
WTF.
incredible photo
The leak is presumably slow enough and the mission short enough. They also devised ways to maneuver for reentry using only the non-leaking RCS thruster blocks if needed.
That said, I'm still not a fan of this decision, but if risk-averse NASA is okay with it, that may be a sign that it really is okay for this one relatively short flight.
But are they wearing red shirts?
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There do not seem to be photos of the later Apollo missions, but let's all remember that EVAs were required to service Skylab. The first crew sent to Skylab had to leave the capsule to fix the Space Station *before* they were able to dock. So, yes, they left the capsule through the main side hatch, got out there with tools and equipment, did a day's worth of work, and then docked with Skylab, and got the station running well enough to have dinner.
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It just seems to be the norm in the United States today to accept half ass work just to get something done. It doesn't matter if it's planes, ships, tanks, or bread mixers just get it done so that we can give the stock holders, CEO's, and others a few more pennies. Shame on them and shame on this country. Sad
Sad
As I pointed out above, NASA agreed that the helium leak wasn't serious enough to warrant dismantling the entire service module to change the seal.It just seems to be the norm in the United States today to accept half ass work just to get something done. It doesn't matter if it's planes, ships, tanks, or bread mixers just get it done so that we can give the stock holders, CEO's, and others a few more pennies. Shame on them and shame on this country.
If it makes you feel any better, Starliner is also a fixed price contract. Boeing has presumably lost a lot of money on it due to the repeated delays and various fiascos, and will continue to do so until the six flights are up. I kind of doubt they will try to renew it. That doesn't make me feel better though, because the oft-vilified "stock holders" could include anyone with a 401k.
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That's actually precisely what worries me the most, because they have to make up that money somehow. It's not coming out of the CEO's paycheck, that's for sure. So they will cut in other areas. Make the aluminum a little thinner, cut a few workers on the line, cut benefits, steal from the pension fund.
NTP2
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Ohhh this is not good, not good at all.
Bob Yanecek
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That same mentality doomed Challenger. Multiple previous flights showed damage to the primary O-ring but since the back-up did it's job, it is still safe enough to fly.
Yes, but in this case, the worst that can happen is that one or two of the RCS thruster blocks become unusable, and they have engineered workarounds to use only the good thruster blocks if that ends up happening. Also, what is leaking is helium, which is not exactly known for being explosive or corrosive. A little extra helium floating around in the interior of the service module is not likely to be an issue.
That said, I reiterate that I am not a fan of this decision, but I do understand the rationale.
NTP2
Well-Known Member
Isn’t helium super hard to contain because it such a small atom as well?
Yes, there is usually a certain amount of allowance for leakage of helium (and hydrogen) because it's almost impossible to 100% contain it. In this case, however, those allowances were presumably exceeded.
23 hours to launch.
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Unfortunately, I'll be at a rocket launch and will miss the rocket launch.
NTP2
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I hate it when that happens!
Liftoff scheduled at 12:25 pm ET today! Fingers crossed! Have a safe trip guys!
Hatch closure in progress following valve sensor issue in Centaur second stage.
All systems go!
All systems go!
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