Boeing hit with 61 safety fixes for astronaut capsule

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Source: San Diego Union Tribune

Boeing faces 61 safety fixes following last year’s botched test flight of its Starliner crew capsule, NASA said Friday.

NASA has also designated December’s aborted space station mission as a serious “high-visibility close call” that could have destroyed the capsule — twice.

In releasing the outcome of a joint investigation, NASA said it still has not decided whether to require Boeing to launch the Starliner again without a crew, or go straight to putting astronauts on board.

Douglas Loverro, NASA’s human exploration and operation chief, said the space agency wants to verify, among other things, that Boeing has retested all the necessary software for Starliner. “At the end of the day, what we have got to decide is ... do we have enough confidence to say we are ready to fly with a crew or do we believe that we need another uncrewed testing,” Loverro said.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2020-03-06/boeing-hit-with-61-safety-fixes-for-astronaut-capsule

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"NASA said it still has not decided whether to require Boeing to launch the Starliner again without a crew,
or go straight to putting astronauts on board." ???

[Jirel]

1. Excuse me?!?!

They’d damned well better keep testing without a crew.

If this wasn’t a huge defense contractor, this would never even be a conversation.

[louis-t]

2. Because at Boeing, profit is more important than people.

[maxsolomon]

10. So... you're saying they deliberately did this?

That upper management, or middle management, or anyone, directed the engineering teams to do shoddy work that would kill astronauts?

[louis-t]

13. They have to make a profit.

That will always figure into the equation.

[maxsolomon]

14. IOW, yes.

You think that someone at Boeing said "let's knowingly cut corners on Life Saftety" in a bespoke Space Capsule project for NASA - to help the bottom line.

Occam's Razor works strangely at your house.

[Xipe Totec]

3. I think Boeing's CEO, and CFO should be the test crew for the next launch. nt

[Sherman A1]

4. A Fine Idea

I can think of a few others that might be able to join them.

[Xipe Totec]

5. If we put too many in the capsule it may blow up during launch and that would be...

Bad?

[Sherman A1]

6. Well, we certainly wouldn't want to damage

any of the equipment.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Good one! And the chiefs of engineering/programming depts.

Good one! And the chiefs of engineering/programming depts.

[maxsolomon]

11. Fire everyone all the way down to the Day Porters!

that'll show Boeing!

[Talitha]

12. "I think Boeing's CEO, and CFO should be the test crew for the next launch."

Or we can just tell Donnie Dimwit that he shouldn't go on it.

[DENVERPOPS]

8. uncrewed testing ??????????

How about Screwed up testing.

Does it have wings??????? If so, someone other than Boeing had better look for tools and construction debris before launching.....

Also, they should have the computer geniuses at MIT or Stanford look over the computer code line by line.........

If they decide NOT to test it un-crewed, then they should take the top executives at Boeing for a test spin first......before regular crew....

[maxsolomon]

9. Only 61 saftey fixes?

Not bad for a new space vehicle.