Boeing/NASA Starliner still stuck at ISS, plagued by multiple problems

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Rodent said:

They may never know. The thrusters don't return to Earth.

I always thought that thrusters are small jet nozzles permanently attached to the spaceship for directional control.  Problem with them is the reason why the spaceship is returning unmanned.

You might be thinking of boosters.

[Rodent]

40 minutes ago, peteski said:

I always thought that thrusters are small jet nozzles permanently attached to the spaceship for directional control.  Problem with them is the reason why the spaceship is returning unmanned.

You might be thinking of boosters.

This is what I read that made me say that:

Determining the root cause of a spacecraft issue, however, is not a perfect science. 

And even if the issues were well understood, the Starliner team had to face the fact that it would never get to inspect the propulsion system on the actual vehicle in space. It was impossible to survey the problem as the Starliner sat attached to the space station.

What’s more, the unit that houses the troubled RCS thrusters and the helium leaks — called the service module — was not intended to survive the trip home. Instead, the service module, which is a cylindrical attachment at the bottom of the crew cabin, is designed to be ejected and disposed of on the way back to Earth. And it will do just that on this mission.

[peteski]

Ok.This stuff is getting too complicated.   I guess the Starliner floats down to Earth without any means of propulsion (on parachutes like the Soviet spaceships used to land)?

[Ace-Garageguy]

14 minutes ago, peteski said:

Ok.This stuff is getting too complicated.   I guess the Starliner floats down to Earth without any means of propulsion (on parachutes like the Soviet spaceships used to land)?

Pretty much.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diagram-of-CST-100-Starliner_with_labels.png

The labels are in French bit the meanings and functions are obvious...or if not, run them through Google Translate.

Moar:

https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2022/03/15/cst-100-starliner-infographics/

More moar, specifically how it all works:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57971910

Edited September 7, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

VIDEO OF EMPTY STARLINER UNDOCKING FROM THE ISS EARLIER TODAY

Watch close (and listen to the commentary) and you can see the thrusters firing from the service module.

 

Edited September 7, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

it landed. No big deal