Editor’s observe: This unencumber was once up to date June 5, 2024, to incorporate directions on the right way to attend the post-docking briefing on Thursday, June 6.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are safely in orbit at the first crewed flight take a look at aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft sure for the World Area Station.
As a part of NASA’s Boeing Team Flight Take a look at, the astronauts lifted off at 10:52 a.m. EDT Wednesday on a ULA (United Release Alliance) Atlas V rocket from Area Release Advanced-41 at Cape Canaveral Area Power Station in Florida on an end-to-end take a look at of the Starliner device.
“Two daring NASA astronauts are neatly on their method in this ancient first take a look at flight of a brand-new spacecraft,” stated NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson. “Boeing’s Starliner marks a brand new bankruptcy of American exploration. Human spaceflight is a bold process – however that’s why it’s value doing. It’s an exhilarating time for NASA, our business companions, and the way forward for exploration. Cross Starliner, Cross Butch and Suni!”
As a part of NASA’s Industrial Team Program, the flight take a look at will lend a hand validate the transportation device, release pad, rocket, spacecraft, in-orbit operations functions, and go back to Earth with astronauts aboard because the company prepares to certify Starliner for rotational missions to the distance station. Starliner in the past flew two uncrewed orbital flights, together with a take a look at to and from the distance station, in conjunction with a pad abort demonstration.
“With Starliner’s release, separation from the rocket, and arrival on orbit, Boeing’s Team Flight Take a look at is true on target,” stated Mark Nappi, vice chairman and program supervisor of Boeing’s Industrial Team Program. “Everyone seems to be occupied with giving Suni and Butch a protected, relaxed, journey and acting a a success take a look at undertaking from begin to end.”
Right through Starliner’s flight, Boeing will observe a sequence of computerized spacecraft maneuvers from its undertaking regulate middle in Houston. NASA groups will observe area station operations right through the flight from the Undertaking Regulate Middle on the company’s Johnson Area Middle in Houston.
“Flying staff on Starliner represents over a decade of labor by way of the Industrial Team Program and our companions at Boeing and ULA,” stated Steve Stich, supervisor, Industrial Team Program, at NASA’s Johnson Area Middle in Houston. “For many people, this can be a career-defining second bringing on a brand new staff transportation capacity for our company and our country. We’re going to take it one step at a time, striking Starliner thru its paces, and ultimate vigilant till Butch and Suni safely contact down again on Earth on the conclusion of this take a look at flight.”
Starliner will autonomously dock to the forward-facing port of the station’s Team spirit module at roughly 12:15 p.m. Thursday, June 6, and stay on the orbital laboratory for roughly per week.
Wilmore and Williams will lend a hand test the spacecraft is acting as meant by way of trying out the environmental regulate device, the shows and regulate device, and by way of maneuvering the thrusters, amongst different assessments all through flight.
After a protected arrival on the area station, Wilmore and Williams will sign up for the Expedition 71 staff of NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matt Dominick, Tracy C. Dyson, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.
NASA’s arrival and in-flight match protection is as follows (all instances Jap and topic to modify in line with real-time operations):
Undertaking protection will proceed on NASA Tv channels right through Starliner’s flight and resume on NASA+ previous to docking.
Thursday, June 6
9:30 a.m. – Arrival protection starts on NASA+, the NASA app, and YouTube, and continues on NASA Tv and the company’s web page.
12:15 p.m. – Focused docking
2 p.m. – Hatch opening
2:20 p.m. – Welcome remarks
3:30 p.m. – Put up-docking information convention at NASA Johnson with the next members:
NASA Affiliate Administrator Jim Unfastened
Steve Stich, supervisor, NASA’s Industrial Team Program
Jeff Arend, supervisor for methods engineering and integration, NASA’s World Area Station Place of business
Mark Nappi, vice chairman and program supervisor, Industrial Team Program, Boeing
Protection of the post-docking information convention will air continue to exist NASA+, NASA Tv, the NASA app, YouTube, and the company’s web page.
To wait the post-docking briefing, U.S. media should touch the NASA Johnson newsroom at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111 by way of 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6. To sign up for by way of telephone, media should touch the NASA Johnson newsroom by way of 3 p.m. Thursday, June 6.
5:50 p.m. – NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Affiliate Administrator Jim Unfastened, Affiliate Administrator for Area Operations Ken Bowersox, and Johnson Area Middle Director Vanessa Wyche will discuss with Wilmore and Williams about their release aboard the Starliner spacecraft.
Protection of the Earth to area name will air continue to exist NASA+, NASA Tv, the NASA app, YouTube, and the company’s web page.
Saturday, June 8
8:50 a.m. – NASA astronauts Wilmore and Williams will supply a excursion of Starliner.
Protection of the in-orbit match will circulation continue to exist NASA+, NASA Tv, the NASA app, YouTube, and the company’s web page.
Monday, June 10
11 a.m. – Williams will discuss to scholars from Sunita L. Williams Fundamental Faculty in Needham, Massachusetts, in an match aboard the distance station.
Protection of the Earth to area name will air continue to exist NASA+, NASA Tv, the NASA app, YouTube, and the company’s web page.
Tuesday, June 11
3:15 p.m. – Wilmore will discuss to scholars from Tennessee Tech College in an match aboard the distance station.
Protection of the Earth to area name will air continue to exist NASA+, NASA Tv, the NASA app, YouTube, and the company’s web page.
Meet NASA’s Team
Wilmore is the commander for the undertaking. A veteran of 2 spaceflights, Wilmore has 178 days in area beneath his belt. In 2009, he served as a pilot aboard area trip Atlantis for the STS-129 undertaking. Moreover, Wilmore served as a flight engineer for Expedition 41 till November 2014, when he assumed command of the distance station after arrival of the Expedition 42 staff. He returned to Earth the next March. Previous to his variety by way of NASA in 2000, the daddy of 2 acquired each his bachelor’s level and grasp’s level in Electric Engineering from Tennessee Technological College, Cookeville, prior to graduating with every other grasp’s level in Aviation Techniques from the College of Tennessee, Knoxville. He’s additionally a graduate of america Naval Take a look at Pilot Faculty, Patuxent River, Maryland, and has finished 4 operational deployments all through his tenure as a fleet naval officer and aviator.
Williams is the spacecraft pilot for the flight take a look at. Williams has spent 322 days in area throughout two missions: Expedition 14/15 in 2006 thru 2007, and Expedition 32/33 in 2012. The Massachusetts local additionally performed seven spacewalks, totaling 50 hours and 40 mins. Earlier than her profession started with NASA in 1998, Williams graduated along with her bachelor’s level in Bodily Science from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, prior to acquiring her grasp’s level in Engineering Control from the Florida Institute of Generation, Melbourne. In overall, she has logged greater than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 other plane.
NASA’s Industrial Team Program has delivered on its function of protected, dependable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the World Area Station from america thru a partnership with American non-public trade. This partnership is converting the arc of human spaceflight historical past by way of opening get right of entry to to low Earth orbit and the distance station to extra folks, science, and business alternatives. The distance station stays the springboard to NASA’s subsequent nice bounce in area exploration, together with long run missions to the Moon beneath Artemis and, in the end, Mars.
Be told extra about NASA’s Industrial Team program at:
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Josh Finch / Jimi Russell / Claire O’Shea
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
Steven Siceloff / Danielle Sempsrott / Stephanie Plucinsky
Kennedy Area Middle, Florida
321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / danielle.c.sempsrott@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov
Leah Cheshier
Johnson Area Middle, Houston
281-483-5111
leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov
