Boeing Crewed Flight Test

Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boe-CFT) will be the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner to the International Space Station, and the third orbital flight test of the Starliner overall after the two uncrewed flight tests, OFT-1 and OFT-2. Originally scheduled to occur in 2020, the launch date for the mission is currently September 2021.[1] It will fly with a crew of three NASA astronauts, who will remain aboard the ISS for an extended test flight.[2][3]

Boe-CFT
Mission typeISS crew transport
OperatorNASA / Boeing
Mission durationTwo weeks to six months (planned)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftStarliner
Spacecraft typeBoeing Starliner
ManufacturerBoeing
Crew
Crew size3
MembersBarry Wilmore
Michael Fincke
Nicole Aunapu Mann
Start of mission
Launch dateSeptember 2021[1]
RocketAtlas V N22
Launch siteCape Canaveral, SLC-41
ContractorUnited Launch Alliance
End of mission
Landing dateJanuary 2022 (planned)
Landing siteWhite Sands Missile Range
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.66°
Docking with ISS
Time dockedTwo weeks to six months (planned)

Boeing insignia, featuring the Starliner and ISS with the names of the crew originally assigned for the mission.

Left to right: Fincke, Wilmore, and Mann
 

Capsule

"After removing and conducting checkouts on various systems and flight hardware, Boeing is preparing to reassemble the vehicle for flight", NASA said of the crew module for the CFT mission. "Soon, outfitting of the crew module's interior will begin along with packing parachutes and airbags ahead of installation". The CFT capsule's docking system has been modified to accommodate the new re-entry cover that will debut on the OFT-2 test flight.[4]

Crew

Three NASA astronauts will serve as the crew of Boe-CFT: commander Barry Wilmore, pilot Michael Fincke, and mission specialist Nicole Aunapu Mann. Mann will become the first woman to fly on the maiden crewed flight of an American spacecraft.

Due to medical reasons, Eric Boe, who was originally assigned to the mission in August 2018 as pilot was replaced by Michael Fincke on 22 January 2019. Boe will replace Fincke as the assistant to the chief for commercial crew in the astronaut office at NASA's Johnson Space Center.[5] Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson was originally assigned to the flight as commander, but he was replaced by NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore on 7 October 2020. Ferguson cited family reasons for the replacement.[6]

Prime crew
Position Crew member
Spacecraft Commander Barry Wilmore, NASA
Third spaceflight
Pilot Nicole Aunapu Mann, NASA
First spaceflight
Joint Operations Commander Michael Fincke, NASA
Fourth spaceflight

Mission

The third Atlas V N22 rocket variant will launch the Starliner with a crew of three to four. The vehicle will dock with the International Space Station, and return to Earth under parachutes for a ground-landing in the United States. Boeing teams continue refurbishing the crew module from the OFT-1 mission for the Crew Flight Test. Originally the mission was scheduled to fly a shorter mission of about two weeks, although it had been speculated for sometime that, due to delays to the Commercial Crew Program Boe-CFT would be extended to a full-fledged ISS crew rotation mission. In April 2019, NASA announced the mission had been fully extended to a crew rotation mission. This will be the first launch of a crewed spacecraft by an Atlas V rocket. NASA announced on 3 February 2021 that the Crew Flight Test will occur no earlier than September 2021.[1]

See also

References
  1. "NASA Invites Media to Prelaunch, Launch Activities for Boeing's Orbital Flight Test-2". NASA (Press release). 3 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  2. Herridge, Linda (3 April 2019). "NASA and Boeing Extend Starliner Crew Flight Test Duration to Space Station, Target New Flight Dates". NASA. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. Gebhardt, Chris (20 June 2019). "Station mission planning reveals new target Commercial Crew launch dates". nasaspaceflight.com. NASASpaceFlight.com.
  4. Clark, Stephen (25 August 2020). "Boeing plans second Starliner test flight in December 2020 or January 2021". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. Granath, Bob (22 January 2019). "NASA Announces Updated Crew Assignment for Boeing Flight Test". NASA. Retrieved 24 January 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. Roulette, Joey. "Boeing's top Starliner astronaut pulls out of space mission role". Reuters. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
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