Boeing Starliner Lands Successfully in New Mexico Desert
WHITE SANDS, NM (NASA PR) — Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft completed the first land touchdown of a human-rated capsule in U.S. history Sunday at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, wrapping up the company’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Starliner settled gently onto its airbags at 7:58 a.m. EST (5:58 a.m. MST) in a pre-dawn landing that helps set the stage for future crewed landings at the same site. The landing followed a deorbit burn at 7:23 a.m., separation of the spacecraft’s service module, and successful deployment of its three main parachutes and six airbags.
“Congratulations to the NASA and Boeing teams on a bullseye landing of the Starliner. The hardest parts of this orbital flight test were successful,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “This is why we conduct these tests, to learn and improve our systems. The information gained from this first mission of Starliner will be critical in our efforts to strengthen NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and return America’s human spaceflight capability.”
Although Starliner did not reach its planned orbit and dock to the International Space Station as planned, Boeing was able to complete a number of test objectives during the flight related to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, including:
- Successful launch of the first human-rated United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket
- Checked out the Starliner propulsion systems
- Tested space-to-space communications
- Confirmed Starliner tracker alignments using its navigation system
- Tested Starliner’s NASA Docking System
- Validated all environment control and life support systems
- Completed a positive command uplink between the International Space Station and Starliner
“Today’s successful landing of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is a testament to the women and men who have dedicated themselves to ensuring Starliner can safely transport crews to low-Earth orbit and back to Earth,” said Boeing Senior Vice President of Space and Launch Jim Chilton. “The Starliner Orbital Flight Test has and will continue to provide incredibly valuable data that we, along with the NASA team, will use to support future Starliner missions launched from and returning to American soil.”
The Starliner that landed today will be refurbished for Boeing’s first operational crewed mission, following the Crew Flight Test. NASA astronaut Suni Williams, who will fly on that mission, dubbed the spacecraft “Calypso” after the ship of famed explorer Jacques Cousteau.
“I love what the ocean means to this planet,” said Williams. “We would not be this planet without the ocean. There’s so much to discover in the ocean, and there’s so much to discover in space.”
The uncrewed Starliner spacecraft launched on the ULA Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
11 responses to “Boeing Starliner Lands Successfully in New Mexico Desert”
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I could not see it this AM due to the legendary clear skies of Southern Az, not living up to their reputation. My all sky cam also did not detect it and it integrates for 10’s of seconds. The Moon was nearby on the image where the spacecraft would have been. Great landing guys. But I think you need another test flight before sending crew.
Remember their flights depend on an old expendable rocket, so they would be looking at $400-500 million for a redo, maybe more, compared to $50-60 million for SpaceX. That is why Boeing depends on simulations so much, real test flights are just too expensive. I suspect they will call this flight a success and send the crew up on the next one.
Not sure where you’re getting this estimate. ULA doesn’t charge more than $150m for an Atlas launch these days.
Yes, but there is also the Starliner and all the NASA paperwork. And it has a non-standard second stage. And it is a human-rated Atlas as well. I am sure all of those will add to that base price for it when they ask NASA for more funding. ?
that is bottom of the line of Atlas. I doubt that this version costs 150M, but probably 250M. And as Thomas says, LOTS of other goods.
Still, no way it is 400-500 to Boeing. Probably would COST them around 150-200M
That’s a business decision they made. I think the money should come out of the corporate boards and program managements pockets.
Absolutely not from NASA.
Boeing is only supposed to be paid for SUCCESS, not failures.
ULA is owned by Boeing (and L-Mart). As such, it should not cost them anywhere near the 400M.
Hopefully, SX will be successful with their Abort and if so, then NASA will have SX launch crew in fed/march. If they are successful, then Boeing should be required to re-do the test. If not, then consider making the next Boeing launch crewed.
If I was crew, I would INSIST on a successful flight. It does not have to be 100%, but all of the parts have to undergo testing, including docking.
Unfortunately, flight opportunities are so rare for NASA astronauts that insisting on anything contrary to the front office can result in effective loss of flight status.
yup. That is a possibility. OTOH, Space is about to open up and somebody who was cleared/trained to be an astronaut, but then dismissed from NASA because they were not willing to go on successfully tested system (in fact, one that has had REPEATED FAILURES), would likely be picked up by SX or BO.