Sri I.’s Post

The FAA learning period for human spaceflight has been briefly extended. How can this affect the development of relevant regulations in the US and what effects could this have on the industry? 🚀 Read our analysis in the latest #Regulus article! #CharterDares #FAA #SpaceLaw

NASA Says Boeing Starliner Astronauts May Fly Home on SpaceX ONLY in 2025. Did they get inspired by Woody Allen’s “Sleeper”? 🤣 🤣 🤣 The NASA agency had insisted for a couple of months that it was confident that Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore would return on Starliner. https://lnkd.in/dsAsynR6 For weeks, NASA has downplayed problems experienced by Starliner, a Boeing spacecraft that took two astronauts to the International Space Station in June. Now NASA officials admitted that the issues might be more serious than first thought and that the astronauts might not return on the Boeing vehicle, after all. The New York Times quotes a bomb-effect statement by the program’s leaders at a press conference on Wednesday, August 7: 💥 ………A turning point was the ground testing of a similar thruster at NASA’s test facility in White Sands, N.M. The thruster showed noticeable degradation after the tests. “A bit of a surprise to us,” Mr. Stich said. “And so that, I would say, upped the level of discomfort.” A buildup of heat appears to have caused Teflon seals in the thruster to bulge and constrict the flow of propellant….. 💥 Boing has such a serious financial crisis and such unhealthy atmosphere in the design office that there was a massive systemic concealment of problems in different ship’s systems. And this only says one thing: NOBODY should use this crude machine. It is noted that this announcement adds even more headaches and embarrassment to a difficult year for Boeing, an aerospace giant with billions of dollars in federal defense and space contracts that keeps building commercial aircraft flying around the world. 🚀 In addition to the significant problems facing the company’s civil aviation division, Boeing announced on Thursday that it is writing off $125 million spent on the Starliner program, which adds to $1.5 billion of unforeseen expenses, previously reported. And for those who want to have a good laughter and would like to see (again) starring cast Woody Allen, Diane Keaton and John Beck in “Sleeper” 🤣 🤣 🤣 https://lnkd.in/drBSXMz7

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator Bill Nelson has taken a flight aboard Electra.aero’s hybrid-electric EL2 Goldfinch ultra short prototype aircraft. The 24-minute flight on Electra’s two-seat fixed-wing aircraft included a series of takeoffs and landings. “Flying aboard this new technology is an inspiring example of how innovation and determination can redefine what’s possible in aviation,” said Nelson. “Advancements in hybrid-electric flight are a critical part of the aviation industry’s transformation toward cleaner, quieter, and more accessible air transportation.” Electra CEO Marc Allen added: “This flight underscores Electra’s commitment to deliver sustainable air travel to communities everywhere. We’re honoured to have Administrator Nelson experience the groundbreaking performance of our prototype aircraft firsthand, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with NASA to advance the future of aviation.” Read full: https://lnkd.in/ewSk5uej

When hypersonic aeronautics and space exploration meet, European engineers dream of a future fast-track return-ticket to space. The momentum is growing for a new generation of aircraft flying faster than the speed of sound and passengers dashing from Brussels to Sydney in just three hours. However, we are still years away from civilians traveling routinely again at the speed of sound. An incipient air travel revolution aims to reduce both time travel and fuel consumption. Faster travel would bring space closer. ESA is looking at the challenges and opportunities in the air and space industries to build vehicles flying at hypersonic speeds in Earth’s atmosphere and beyond. ESA continues to identify synergies tics space sectors and pinpoint technological locks for hypersonic vehicles on Earth and in space. A two-day workshop in Germany earlier this spring brought together industry, academic and agencies experts from the aeronautics and space sectors. “We did not aim at providing concrete solutions but rather to first identify challenges and technical dependencies between fields. This is a starting point to enable future reusable hypersonic vehicles for an Earth-to-orbit hub,” says Didier Schmitt, ESA’s Future Preparation Group leader. Bringing experts together served as a technical kick-off to leapfrog technologies for a vehicle taking astronauts to low Earth orbit. As many as 70 experts raised key questions and challenges to overcome. “We called for both industries to learn about each other’s showstoppers. To deliver a transformational change, reusable is the key word. Concepts for hypersonic reusable vehicles include lifting bodies designs for European crew access to space and landing on a runaway or landing pad,” explains Didier. #ESA #Space #Hypersonic

Boeing Starliner Astronauts Have Been In Space Six Weeks Longer Than Originally Planned: Longtime Slashdot reader Randseed writes: Boeing Starliner is apparently still stuck at the ISS, six weeks longer than planned due to engine troubles. The root cause seems to be overheating. NASA is still hopeful that they can bring the two astronauts back on the Starliner, but if not apparently there is a SpaceX Dragon craft docked at the station that can get them home. This is another in a long list of high profile failures by Boeing. This comes after a series of failures in their popular commercial aircraft including undocumented flight system modifications causing crashes of the 737 MAX, doors blowing out in mid-flight, and parts falling off the aircraft. The latter decimated a Toyota in a populated area."I think we're starting to close in on those final pieces of flight rationale to make sure that we can come home safely, and that's our primary focus right now," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's commercial crew program. "Our prime option is to complete the mission," Stich said. "There are a lot of good reasons to complete this mission and bring Butch and Suni home on Starliner. Starliner was designed, as a spacecraft, to have the crew in the cockpit." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Boeing Starliner Astronauts Have Been In Space Six Weeks Longer Than Originally Planned: Longtime Slashdot reader Randseed writes: Boeing Starliner is apparently still stuck at the ISS, six weeks longer than planned due to engine troubles. The root cause seems to be overheating. NASA is still hopeful that they can bring the two astronauts back on the Starliner, but if not apparently there is a SpaceX Dragon craft docked at the station that can get them home. This is another in a long list of high profile failures by Boeing. This comes after a series of failures in their popular commercial aircraft including undocumented flight system modifications causing crashes of the 737 MAX, doors blowing out in mid-flight, and parts falling off the aircraft. The latter decimated a Toyota in a populated area."I think we're starting to close in on those final pieces of flight rationale to make sure that we can come home safely, and that's our primary focus right now," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's commercial crew program. "Our prime option is to complete the mission," Stich said. "There are a lot of good reasons to complete this mission and bring Butch and Suni home on Starliner. Starliner was designed, as a spacecraft, to have the crew in the cockpit." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

#Boeing #Starliner #737MAX #SpaceX #stakeholder #investor Dear CEO Ortberg, The first 100 days should emphasize a culture of #safety and #quality and #innovation, but what happened, two stranded astronauts? I am so disappointed. Boeing will need to catch up to its #competitors. The Starliner's inability to safely return astronauts to Earth directly impacts public and stakeholder perceptions of Boeing's reliability and technical competence. This incident could exacerbate doubts about Boeing's commitment to safety and innovation, particularly after the 737 MAX issues. Further, the need to rely on SpaceX to rescue the astronauts highlights a direct comparison between Boeing and its competitors in the space industry. This could be seen as a setback in Boeing’s race against more successful programs like SpaceX, which may appear more reliable and technologically advanced. For example, companies like Sierra Space and Blue Origin are competing and rapidly innovating in the human spaceflight business. This puts pressure on Boeing to accelerate its innovations and ensure reliability, lest it falls further behind. The combination of past failures with the 737 MAX and the current Starliner situation could amplify public and stakeholder concerns about Boeing's commitment to safety and technological reliability. https://lnkd.in/eKXqrzxu

Day 6: Exploring Human Performance Capabilities for ESA astronaut training This lesson focused on the essential aspects of Human Performance Capabilities in spaceflight. This was particularly crucial for understanding the limitations and abilities of humans in general, and in the unique environment of space. We explored how various factors such as physical workload, sensorimotor function, visual and auditory perception, and cognitive workload are impacted during space missions. The objective of this module was to provide a comprehensive overview of how human performance is affected by spaceflight and to discuss effective countermeasures. As with the other lessons, these insights are vital for ensuring the safety and efficiency of astronauts as they carry out their missions, and were given from a Human Factors perspective. The ESA medical and exercise team gave more in-depth training and protocols on how to handle the physical changes. Key highlights from today's lesson included: 🏋️♂️ Physical Workload: Understanding cardiovascular de-conditioning, muscle atrophy, and bone density loss in microgravity, along with countermeasures like aerobic and resistance training. 🤸♀️Sensorimotor Function: Addressing issues like spatial disorientation and balance deficits and exploring countermeasures such as adaptive training and optimised cockpit design. 👁️👂Visual and Auditory Function: Emphasising the importance of visual and auditory perception in the design of crew interfaces and communication systems. 🧠Cognitive Workload: Discussing the cognitive challenges astronauts face and how systems can be designed to support their decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Cognitive workload, in particular, is a crucial factor in both space and everyday work environments. Under-load can lead to boredom and decreased vigilance, while overload can result in errors and decreased performance. Understanding and managing cognitive workload helps ensure that astronauts, and indeed all of us, can perform effectively and safely in high-stakes situations. ❓ Question for you: How do you manage cognitive workload in your organisation? What strategies have you found effective? I'd love you to comment below with your thoughts! ❓ And as always, sign up to my newsletter to receive more in depth insights each week. #SpaceExploration #HumanPerformance #AstronautTraining #Microgravity #Spaceflight #HumanFactors #ESA #SpaceMission #SpaceScience #AerospaceEngineering #HumanCapabilities #SpacePsychology #SpaceTechnology #CrewSafety #SpaceHealth #InterfaceDesign

Boeing Starliner crewed mission postponed shortly before launch. By Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo with Issam Ahmed in Washington Cape Canaveral (AFP) The first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner spaceship was dramatically called off just two hours before launch after a new safety issue was identified, officials said Monday, pushing back a high-stakes test mission to the International Space Station. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were strapped into their seats preparing for liftoff when the call for a "scrub" came, because engineers noticed audible buzzing from a liquid oxygen relief valve on the Atlas V rocket meant to propel the capsule into orbit. In a late night press conference, Tory Bruno, president and CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA) that built the rocket, told reporters the unusual vibrations were a sign the valve parts might be wearing down to the point of failure, but insisted "the crew was never in any danger." Engineers will now work through the night to determine the degree of deterioration and decide whether to re-fit the same part on the launchpad, or wheel the rocket back to its assembly building to install a new valve, he added. ULA, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture, should announce their decision by morning. The next possible launch date is Tuesday night, with more later this week and into next week. The mission has already faced years of delays and comes at a challenging time for Boeing, as a safety crisis engulfs the century-old manufacturer's commercial aviation division. NASA is banking on a successful test for Starliner so it can certify a second commercial vehicle to carry crews to the ISS. Elon Musk's SpaceX achieved the feat with its Dragon capsule in 2020, ending a nearly decade-long dependence on Russian rockets following the end of the Space Shuttle program. https://lnkd.in/daVUK5UF

Boeing Starliner Astronauts Have Been In Space Six Weeks Longer Than Originally Planned: Longtime Slashdot reader Randseed writes: Boeing Starliner is apparently still stuck at the ISS, six weeks longer than planned due to engine troubles. The root cause seems to be overheating. NASA is still hopeful that they can bring the two astronauts back on the Starliner, but if not apparently there is a SpaceX Dragon craft docked at the station that can get them home. This is another in a long list of high profile failures by Boeing. This comes after a series of failures in their popular commercial aircraft including undocumented flight system modifications causing crashes of the 737 MAX, doors blowing out in mid-flight, and parts falling off the aircraft. The latter decimated a Toyota in a populated area."I think we're starting to close in on those final pieces of flight rationale to make sure that we can come home safely, and that's our primary focus right now," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's commercial crew program. "Our prime option is to complete the mission," Stich said. "There are a lot of good reasons to complete this mission and bring Butch and Suni home on Starliner. Starliner was designed, as a spacecraft, to have the crew in the cockpit." Read more of this story at Slashdot.