Well -- it is always going to be safety first. And in truth, even on uncrewed missions, the multiple leaks seen -- on Sunni and Butch's uphill ride (delaying by over two hours their arrival at the ISS). . . was a clear sign that more needs to be done, in terms of uncrewed shake-down flights.
And now that is all firmly inked into NASA's upcoming launch calendars. It means other vendors will fly at least the next two missions to the ISS. Here's that story, from the Orlando Sentinel's space science desk (subs. req. -- keeps current on all things Cape Canaveral):
. . .NASA has officially given SpaceX the next two missions to the International Space Station under its Commercial Crew Program with Boeing’s Starliner still potentially available for a late visit in 2025 if it achieves certification.
NASA announced updated crew rotation plans Tuesday including a crew assignment for Crew-10, the program’s next flight up to the station targeting February. . . .
That summer target launch for Crew-11 still opens the door for Boeing’s beleaguered spacecraft to slot in at the end of the year, but NASA has to find a path forward to certify Starliner for regular missions working with what ended up being an incomplete Crew Flight Test mission this summer.
“The timing and configuration of Starliner’s next flight will be determined once a better understanding of Boeing’s path to system certification is established,” NASA posted on its website. “This determination will include considerations for incorporating Crew Flight Test lessons learned, approvals of final certification products, and operational readiness. . . .”
Space. . . is indeed. . . hard. Onward.
नमस्ते
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