Having two crew-carrying spacecraft provides redundancy for NASA and the nation
- NASA and Boeing cleared the Crew Flight Test (CFT) of Boeing’s Starliner for launch on May 6
- Starliner will be the second spacecraft funded by NASA’s commercial crew program to carry astronauts
- Having two crew-carrying spacecraft provides redundancy for NASA and the nation
- Starliner’s astronaut debut has been delayed multiple times due to technical issues
- Boeing will launch the operational crewed mission Starliner-1 to the ISS in early 2025
- The U.S. will have two private crew-carrying spacecraft at its disposal
- Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft has been flying to and from the ISS since 1998
- Backup spacecraft are important for safety and policy reasons
- SpaceX and Boeing have different procedures and teams to support their spacecraft
- Commercial crew allows contractors to choose how they want to operate as long as safety requirements are met
NASA and Boeing have cleared the Crew Flight Test (CFT) of Boeing’s Starliner for launch on May 6. This will be the second spacecraft funded by NASA’s commercial crew program to carry astronauts, providing redundancy for the agency and the nation. Starliner’s astronaut debut has been delayed multiple times due to technical issues, but assuming all goes well with CFT, it will be certified for six-month missions to the ISS next year. Despite the delays, the U.S. will soon have two private crew-carrying spacecraft at its disposal, ensuring continuous crewing of the ISS. Backup spacecraft are important for safety and policy reasons, as demonstrated by a coolant leak on a Soyuz spacecraft in 2022. Commercial crew allows contractors like Boeing and SpaceX to choose how they want to operate, as long as safety requirements are met.
Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides detailed information about Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, its upcoming Crew Flight Test, the astronauts involved, the history of the commercial crew program, and comparisons with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The article also discusses the delays, technical issues, and improvements made to the Starliner spacecraft. The information is presented in a factual and objective manner without significant bias or sensationalism.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides detailed information about Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, its upcoming Crew Flight Test, and the implications for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. It includes relevant background information, such as the delays and challenges faced by Starliner, as well as comparisons with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The article also discusses the importance of having multiple crew-carrying spacecraft for the International Space Station’s continuous crewing. Overall, the article stays on topic, provides evidence and examples to support its claims, and offers insights into the future of crewed space missions.
Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification:
Public Companies: Boeing (BA), SpaceX (Private), Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Private Companies: Axiom Space
Key People: Steve Stich (Program Manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program), Butch Wilmore (NASA veteran astronaut and former Navy test pilot), Suni Williams (NASA veteran astronaut and former Navy test pilot), Dana Weigel (Program Manager for the ISS), Mark Nappi (Vice President and Program Manager of Boeing’s commercial crew program)
Reported publicly:
www.space.com 
