Boeing capsule returns to Earth after aborted space mission

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing safely landed its crew capsule in the New Mexico desert Sunday after an aborted flight to the International Space Station that threatened to set back the company’s effort to launch astronauts for NASA next year.

The Starliner descended into the Army’s White Sands Missile Range in the frigid predawn darkness, ending a two-day demo that should have lasted more than a week. A trio of red, white and blue parachutes popped open and airbags also inflated around the spacecraft to ease the impact.

“Congratulations, Starliner,” said Mission Control, calling it a successful touchdown.

A test dummy named Rosie the Rocketeer — after Rosie the Riveter from World War II — rode in the commander’s seat. Also returning were holiday presents, clothes and food that should have been delivered to the space station crew.



The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft lands in White Sands, N.M., Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. Boeing safely landed its crew capsule in the New Mexico desert Sunday after an aborted flight to the International Space Station that threatened to derail the company's effort to launch astronauts for NASA next year. (Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via AP)

Read more: https://apnews.com/d941852c59a4811603a8ab3611a3cb8f

[truthisfreedom]

1. Sad for all of those hard workers.

Such a holiday letdown. Does this open up opportunities for SpaceX?

[Mustellus]

3. well.. the first Dragon....

blew up on the ground during an abort test. SpaceX claims they have it fixed. But with available money divided four ways ( see my post below ) it may not be.

The SpaceX manned capsule inherits many of the cargo freighter's proven systems. Boeing is new to this, so yes. Advantage SpaceX.

[CaptainTruth]

4. SpaceX completed a successful test of their crew capsule in March, well ahead of Boeing.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon docked with the ISS in March & returned to Earth successfully on their first attempt.

[Mustellus]

2. Yes, one of four nearly rendudant, government funded....

.. efforts. Starliner (Boeing), Dragon (SpaceX), Dreamcatcher (Sierra Nevada, a shuttle mimic) and Orion (NASA, the only one that's not just a low earth orbit taxi.

The Private Sector (TM)(SM)(C) can do it much better, especially when every penny is US Government certified dollars, and there is little to no oversight.

NASA had to move heaven and earth to kill the fifth one, which would have killed its crews with one malfunction.

But buy a few congress persons, and the return on investment is huge.

[cab67]

5. I get that "this isn't rocket science" doesn't apply here...

...both because of the centrality of rocketry to the effort and the fact that sending humans into space is no simple matter, but....

We've done this before. We've been sending human beings into space for almost 60 years. NASA has conducted about 200 successful manned missions. Hence my confusion over why it's proved so difficult to pull off a manned flight from US soil since 2011.