Article

2024-08-05 Science & Technology

No, Boeing Starliner's NASA astronauts are not stranded in space. Here's why.

[Space] Some reporters began calling the astronauts "stranded" or "stuck" on the ISS. NASA and Boeing stress, however, that this couldn't be further from the truth.
Shi* outta luck then ?
I prefer the term marooned.
"Our plan is to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time," Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, told reporters during a tense press teleconference on June 28. (Reporters complained during the briefing that a lack of updates was leading to misinformation online; NASA and Boeing pledged more frequent discussions, but said they had remained relatively quiet mainly because they were busy troubleshooting Starliner's issues.)

Update from VodkaPundit courtesy of DarthVader at 3:00 p.m. ET: Did NASA Just Admit That Boeing's Starliner Is Doomed?

Posted by Skidmark 2024-08-05 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11149 views ] Top

#1 Waiting for the tow truck.

Posted by Ululating Platypus 2024-08-05 01:20|| 2024-08-05 01:20|| Front Page Top

#2 ...they were busy troubleshooting Starliner's issues.

late, over budget, and not ready for prime time

Posted by Procopius2k 2024-08-05 06:56|| 2024-08-05 06:56|| Front Page Top

#3 Okey dokey. Can Starliner fly on automatic? Let's do that, and they can ride home with Elon's Uber.

Posted by ed in texas 2024-08-05 08:22|| 2024-08-05 08:22|| Front Page Top

#4 Everything is on hold while the new DEI engineers are trained on the difference between a bolt and a screw.
Just be patient.

Posted by `AlmostAmonymous5839 2024-08-05 09:18|| 2024-08-05 09:18|| Front Page Top

#5 ...NASA astronauts are not stranded in space. Here's why.

(gravity)

Posted by Mercutio 2024-08-05 09:23|| 2024-08-05 09:23|| Front Page Top

#6 Don't start the DEI engineers on Gravity or they'll never get home.

Posted by Silentbrick 2024-08-05 09:43|| 2024-08-05 09:43|| Front Page Top

#7 I scanned most of the article, looking for the 'bottom line' and concluded it was ghost-written by K. Harris.

Posted by Bobby 2024-08-05 10:23|| 2024-08-05 10:23|| Front Page Top

#8 (gravity)

Yeah, getting back is easy. It's downhill all the way! The trick is getting back in a state where you can continue to enjoy the benefits program.

Worst case, John Galt- sorry, Elon Musk - can give them a lift, but the optics are awful and it won't help Boeing's stock price or NASA's reputation. Not that any of our institutions look like heroes anymore.

Posted by SteveS 2024-08-05 12:04|| 2024-08-05 12:04|| Front Page Top

#9 If Boeing can admit the truth and let the poor bastards return to earth on SpaceX there is no problem. Currently it looks like Boeing would prefer to risk their lives in a sick spaceship.

Posted by 3dc 2024-08-05 12:57|| 2024-08-05 12:57|| Front Page Top

#10 Well, yeah. After all - Boeing Starliner's two astronauts knew to expect the unexpected when they took off on the spacecraft's first crewed mission on June 5.

Posted by Bobby 2024-08-05 14:47|| 2024-08-05 14:47|| Front Page Top

#11 There are only so many docking ports on that station.

Posted by Procopius2k 2024-08-05 18:15|| 2024-08-05 18:15|| Front Page Top

#12 The prob is that Starliner is parked on the one and only docking port. There's a Aug 18 (IIRC) Dragon launch scheduled to bring up the next crew. No place to park.
The previous iteration of Starliner flew itself on autopilot, but the story is that software wasn't loaded on this capsule. (Probably so a Boeing exec could get a bonus for cost saving, but that's a guess.)

Posted by ed in texas 2024-08-05 19:30|| 2024-08-05 19:30|| Front Page Top

#13 but the story is that software wasn't loaded on this capsule.

"Just one more thing to test! Besides, we probably won't need it anyway."

Posted by SteveS 2024-08-05 20:14|| 2024-08-05 20:14|| Front Page Top

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