Crew and Service Modules Mated for Starliner CFT
The Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test (CFT) is now complete, following the mating of its crew and service modules.
“We’re building off the successes and lessons learned from Orbital Flight Test-2, and all of the pieces for CFT are coming together.”
Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager for the Starliner program.
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner team completed the production milestone on Thursday, Jan. 19, in advance of the planned April launch with NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams to the International Space Station.
During the operation, a crane lifted the reusable crew module atop the brand-new service module in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to become a fully operational spacecraft.
“Every member of our team is invested in giving Butch and Suni a great ride to the International Space Station,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager for the Starliner program. “We’re building off the successes and lessons learned from Orbital Flight Test-2, and all of the pieces for CFT are coming together.”
Outfitting of Crew and Service Modules
With a completed spacecraft, teams will continue outfitting the crew module’s interior, conducting integrated vehicle testing and performing final spacecraft checkouts. The spacecraft will then undergo weight and center of gravity testing prior to rolling out of the Starliner factory en route to its United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch complex.
CFT is targeted to launch in April 2023, in accordance with the International Space Station visiting vehicle schedule.
For the crewed flight test, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, returning approximately eight days later in White Sands, New Mexico.
Recently, the CFT Super Suited Week took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. During the training, NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, CFT commander and pilot, respectively, and Mike Fincke, CFT backup spacecraft test pilot, donned their spacesuits while participating in various simulations, good day and bad day scenarios, and spacecraft ingress and egress. The event also gave the crew extended time to get comfortable wearing their suits.
Prior to that, the astronauts participated in a crew validation test in October to evaluate and fine tune operations. These tests provide astronauts with hands-on training while giving the launch pad crew further experience with crucial tasks. In addition, teams can address issues encountered during previous checks and identify items that still need to be resolved prior to launch.
(Source: Boeing. Images provided and from file)