Live After Quit

“Once Futuristic: Can Boeing Re-Ignite the Future of Starliner?

The Boeing Starliner, the new capsule designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), was once seen as the future of American spaceflight. However, its future is now uncertain after the recent botched test flight, which Boeing was criticized for. The test flight, which launched successfully on December 20, 2019, was designed to showcase the new Starliner capsule and its ability to dock with the ISS. However, the spacecraft failed to dock due to a navigation error that prevented the device from entering the proper orbit. As a result, it returned to Earth two days earlier than originally intended. The poor performance of the test flight has caused Boeing to examine the technical issues that led to the navigation error. NASA has also decided to perform a more thorough review of the entire Starliner system before the craft can dock again and has mandated that two more practice launches take place in order to ensure safety. The launch failure has also put into question the viability of the Starliner capsule, and whether the craft can be trusted to safely transport astronauts to the ISS. Boeing had already committed to launching four manned flights this year, but now it will have to delay this timeline. Despite the setback, Boeing is still working to prove that Starliner can be trusted for manned flights. But the company has an uphill battle, not just to prove its system is safe, but to also regain the public’s trust in the craft. Overall, the Starliner test flight is a major setback for Boeing in its quest to become the predominant space contractor in the United States. The craft’s performance is being closely monitored and analyzed, and the company must demonstrate success if it hopes to remain the major American provider of transportation services for astronauts. Although there is still a long road ahead, Boeing must restore faith in Starliner if it wants to live up to its previous promise of launching spacecrafts for human spaceflight.