NASA, Boeing May Expand Scope of 1st Starliner Commercial Crew Test Flight to 3 Astronauts and 6 Months at ISS

Artist image of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft docking to the International Space Station. Image credit: Boeing

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   2 May 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – NASA and Boeing are studying a significant expansion to the scope of the first crewed orbital test flight of the Starliner commercial crew spacecraft that would essentially change its nature from a short duration test flight into a long duration operational mission while carrying a trio of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

The modifications to the test flight were proposed by NASA as “updates to its Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with Boeing, which provides flexibility in its commercial flight tests,” NASA said in a statement last month.

With a launch planned for as soon as the end of this year, 2018, Boeing has proposed to NASA that the inaugural flight of their CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) carry an additional crew member to up the crew complement from two astronauts to three.

Boeing is also proposing that the mission length be vastly expanded from just two weeks to up to six months. 

The half year mission length basically matches the current crew mission length for Soyuz expedition increments to the ISS.

Hull of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner Structural Test Article (STA)- the first Starliner to be built in the company’s modernized Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

The original plans called for a two person crew comprised of one Boeing test pilot and one NASA astronaut.

It is widely believed that former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson will be tapped as the Boeing test pilot. Veteran astronaut Ferguson served was Commander of NASA’s last space shuttle mission STS-135 in July 2011.

“Exact details of how to best take advantage of the contract modification are under evaluation, but the changes could allow for additional microgravity research, maintenance, and other activities while Starliner is docked to station,” said NASA.

“Adding a third crew member on Boeing’s flight test could offer NASA an additional opportunity to ensure continued U.S. access to the orbital laboratory.”

Loading Starliner to carry additional cargo is also being considered. 

Starliner is one of two commercial crew capsules, along with the SpaceX Crew Dragon,  being developed under the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with NASA to ferry NASA astronauts to and from low Earth orbit and the space station.

Boeing was awarded a $4.2 Billion contract in September 2014 by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to complete development and manufacture of the CST-100 Starliner space taxi under the agency’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) program and NASA’s Launch America initiative.

The Starliner will launch on a two stage United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket augmented with two solid rocket boosters from Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.

A new crew access tower and arm has also already been built and installed at pad 41 to support human launches with the human rated Atlas V. 

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Air Force Space Command AFSPC-11 mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 on April 14, 2018 at 7:13 p.m. EDT on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.  A similar Atlas rocket will be used to launch the Boeing Starliner from pad 41.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com

Starliner and Crew Dragon are being developed with NASA funding to restore America’s ability to launch American astronauts to space from American soil on American rockets and thereby end NASA’s 100 percent reliance on the Russian Soyuz capsule for seats to the ISS.

Since the forced shutdown of the shuttle in 2011, the only seats to space have been via the Soyuz currently costing NASA over $82 million per seat.

But the inaugural crew flights of Starliner and Crew Dragon under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) have suffered repeated delays due to a combination of funding shortfalls from Congress and technical difficulties in development and manufacture.

So with NASA’s contract to buy Russian Soyuz seats expiring later in 2019, the agency needs alternatives to fly astronauts to space and ensure access to the ISS.

“This contract modification provides NASA with additional schedule margin if needed,” said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, in a statement.

“We appreciate Boeing’s willingness to evolve its flight to ensure we have continued access to space for our astronauts. Commercial space transportation to low-Earth orbit from U.S. soil is critical for the agency and the nation.”

Under the most recent NASA schedule, the Starliner uncrewed Orbital Test Flight (OFT) is scheduled for launch in late August and the Crew Flight Test (CFT) launch is scheduled for November 2018. However those dates could well slip again since much work remains.

SpaceX plans similar uncrewed and crewed missions with Crew Dragon in August and December 2018 respectively launching on a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, FL.

The Boeing Starliner commercial crew transportation spacecraft is being manufactured at the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Boeing ‘Starliner’ commercial crew space taxi manufacturing facility at the Kennedy Space Center. Exterior view depicts mural for the Boeing Company’s CST-100 ‘Starliner’ commercial crew transportation spacecraft at the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

After their test flights both Starliner and Dragon must still be certified to have completed the daunting and rigorous contracted milestones before being approved for regular crew rotation missions by NASA.

“The current commercial crew flight schedules provide about six months of margin to begin regular, post-certification crew rotation missions to the International Space Station before NASA’s contracted flights on Soyuz flights end in fall 2019,” said NASA.

“Turning a test flight into more of an operational mission needs careful review by the technical community,” said Gerstenmaier. “For example, the spacecraft capability to support the additional time still needs to be reviewed. Modifying the contract now allows NASA and Boeing an opportunity to tailor the duration to balance the mission needs with vehicle and crew capabilities.” 

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, Boeing, SpaceX, ULA, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Air Force Space Command AFSPC-11 mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 on April 14, 2018 at 7:13 p.m. EDT on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.  A similar Atlas rocket will be used to launch the Boeing Starliner from pad 41.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com