August 25, 2024

NASA Decides Starliner Astronauts to Remain on ISS Through February and Return on Dragon Capsule (Source: Washington Post)
NASA announced Saturday that it will use SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to bring home two astronauts stuck in space for months, because the agency does not have confidence in Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule. “It was just too much risk for the crew,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager.

The highly anticipated decision, one of the most consequential by the space agency in years, is a devastating blow to Boeing, which had argued vehemently that Starliner was safe even though it suffered a series of thruster problems and helium leaks as it brought NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore to the International Space Station in early June.

The decision means that the autonomous Starliner spacecraft will return to Earth, likely in early September, without anyone on board and that Williams and Wilmore will have their stay on the space station, originally intended to last eight days, extended to about eight months — the next Dragon return flight is scheduled for February. (8/24)

Alabama Rockets Appear in Demand Following Apparent Blow to Boeing Over Starliner (Source: Alabama Public Radio)
NASA’s decision to land two astronauts aboard a SpaceX capsule, and not the Starliner craft they used to go to orbit, is considered a blow to Boeing. Despite all the controversy surrounding NASA’s new spacecraft, the Alabama built rocket that carried the Starliner to space did that job. United Launch Alliance’s Decatur factory built the Atlas-V used for the launch of Starliner. ULA is moving onto a newer and less expensive replacement for the Atlas and is reportedly in talks regarding a possible buy-out by Sierra Space.

In an exclusive report by Reuters, Lockheed Martin is considering selling United Launch Alliance to the Sierra Space company. The news website quotes sources that say the deal might put the value of ULA at up to $3 billion dollars. ULA is launching the last of its Atlas-V’s and moving onto a new model of booster called Vulcan. Sierra Space is under contract with NASA to resupply the International Space Station with its new mini shuttle called “Dream Chaser.” That small, winged, spacecraft is designed to fly on Vulcan rockets.

Reuters' report quotes sources that says ULA’s possible acquisition by Sierra Space would enable the builder of the Dream Chaser shuttle to handle its launches ”in-house,” rather than be a customer of ULA, buying rockets one at a time for hundreds of millions of dollars each. Boeing could also see some benefit from the deal while it wrestles with ongoing problems with its Starliner spacecraft. The aerospace contractor teamed up with Lockheed Martin to create United Launch Alliance back in 2006. The deal combined the rocket building efforts of both aerospace giants. (8/25)

Blue Origin Landing Barge En Route to Port Canaveral From France (Source: Gav Cornwell)
Make room at the port! Blue Origin's landing barge is on its way from Europe. From Gav Cornwell: "Blue Origin's New Glenn landing barge, named Landing Platform Vessel #1, is underway from France and heading to Port Canaveral... Tentative arrival date Aug 27" Click here. (8/24)