I imagine they will add mission specialists closer to the flight?Crew 7! SpaceX gets things done.
NASA, ESA Assign Astronauts to Space Station Mission on Crew Dragon - NASA
NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) have selected two astronauts to launch on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station.www.nasa.gov
That is how it works. The Pilot and Mission Commander are chosen, then as the launch time approaches (4 or 5 months) they choose the specialists. Crew 5 has three people chosen, Crew 6 has two, and the same for Crew 7. Note that the 4th position for 5 and 6 was originally planned to be a cosmonaut from Roscosmos. That is a big question mark at the moment. However, Roscosmos is saying that they will be bringing back the current NASA astronaut just as planned. If that goes well then maybe we'll still see those seats filled with a cosmonaut. Who knows?
Since Crew Dragons are reusable (albeit with extensive refurbishment) no point in building more since the ISS is approaching the end of its life and the plan is for Starship to make the F9 and Dragon obsolete. Let’s hope everything goes according to plan…
Funny that Dreamliner hasn’t seen service before Crew Dragon goes EOL. I wonder if this will prompt NASA to do their ridiculous “maintenance” contracts and pay for idle manufacturing capacity for Crew Dragons?
www.nasa.gov
He said, she said....Boeing versus Aerojet, putting blame to Starliner's sticky fuel valve problems. Also, apparently this is not the first time for Boeing's Commercial Crew project...."The feud with Aerojet is not Boeing's first Starliner subcontractor quarrel. In 2017, Starliner had an accident during a ground test that forced the president of a different subcontractor to have his leg medically amputated. The subcontractor sued, and Boeing subsequently settled the case.".....This points to the advantages and gains SpaceX is able to achieve with their vertical integration.
Boeing clashes with key supplier ahead of Starliner spacecraft launch
Boeing Co. is feuding with Aerojet Rocketdyne, a key supplier for its Starliner spacecraft, as the U.S. aerospace giant races to test launch the uncrewed astronaut capsule and mend its reputation in the space sector, people familiar with the matter said.www.cnn.com
Lots of finger pointing going on...
Is this the first public disclosure of that? How horrible.
From Twitter, a contractor was making final connections for a capsule baloon drop test while standing on a faulty ladder. When they made the connection, ESD set up the pyro releasing the capsule (no redundant safety cables) which threw him and the ladder off. He landed half on a trailer and destroyed his foot / leg.
spacenews.com
So (theoretically) on track to repeat the flight test ~3 years after the first flight test.I don't know who to give credit to for this one.
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Boeing considering redesign of Starliner valves
Boeing says it is considering redesigning the propellant valves on future CST-100 Starliner commercial crew spacecraft as a long-term solution to corrosion.
