Boeing Starliner Hatch Closed, Setting Stage for Unpiloted Return to Earth Friday

Starliner Unpiloted Orbital Flight Test-2 Mission

The hatch of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft has been closed, marking a significant milestone in preparing for its unpiloted Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft is scheduled to lift off on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Friday, May 19, at 6:54 a.m. EDT (10:54 a.m. UTC). This will be Starliner's second attempt at a test flight to the ISS after its first attempt in December 2019 was cut short due to software issues.

The OFT-2 mission is a critical step in Boeing's development of Starliner as a commercial crew transportation system for NASA. If successful, it will pave the way for Starliner to begin carrying astronauts to and from the ISS. The spacecraft will carry cargo and equipment to the ISS, and it will remain docked to the station for about five days before returning to Earth.

Mission Objectives

The primary objectives of the OFT-2 mission are to:

• Demonstrate Starliner's ability to safely launch, dock with the ISS, and return to Earth.
• Test Starliner's systems, including its life support systems, navigation systems, and docking systems.
• Deliver cargo and equipment to the ISS.
• Collect data on Starliner's performance for future missions with astronauts.

The OFT-2 mission is an important milestone in the development of Starliner and in NASA's efforts to commercialize low-Earth orbit transportation. If successful, it will bring NASA one step closer to having two commercial crew transportation systems available to transport astronauts to and from the ISS.

Conclusion

The closing of the Starliner hatch marks a significant milestone in the preparation for the spacecraft's unpiloted Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is scheduled to launch on Friday, May 19, at 6:54 a.m. EDT (10:54 a.m. UTC). The primary objectives of the OFT-2 mission are to demonstrate Starliner's ability to safely launch, dock with the ISS, and return to Earth; test Starliner's systems; deliver cargo and equipment to the ISS; and collect data on Starliner's performance for future missions with astronauts. The OFT-2 mission is an important milestone in the development of Starliner and in NASA's efforts to commercialize low-Earth orbit transportation.