Will NASA use a Space X Dragom to rescue the crew of STARLINER

Boeing Starliner, which launched to the ISS on June 5 following numerous delays Since then the spacecraft has been plagued by series of helium leaks
and thruster breakdowns Return to earth had been delayed several times, with the most recent date being June 22

Should NASA determine that the Starliner poses an unacceptable risk in returning back to earth with its malfunctioning thrusters would it call on SPACE X to launch one of its Dragon spacecraft to retrieve the Starliner crew ??

The next scheduled NASA launch is the Crew Dragon 9 scheduled for August Problem is that Starliner has a limited orbital lifetime Dragon is designed to carry up to 7 people, it normally flies with crew of 4

If the crew has to be retrieved sooner, the Private POLARIS DAWN mission scheduled for July 12 could be borrowed to make the retrieval

a reply to: firerescue

I hope so , 5 Helium leaks , questions over the heat shield and the thruster problems on the way to the ISS tells me it isn't safe to return in it.

a reply to: firerescue

We can only hope, for the lives of the crew who are doubtless wondering why they ignored the old adage, "if it's Boeing, I'm not going".

The first true space hitchhikers.

Hoopy. 42.

Can't build space craft can't build air craft..... Boeing should be broken up.

Too big to fail?

a reply to: firerescue

Remember when NASA used to make good spacecraft? I think they should look at their program and analyze if they should abandon their new designs.

a reply to: rickymouse

Like Apollo 1? Good designs come from failure. Hopefully this time without loss of life.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Remember when NASA used to make good spacecraft? I think they should look at their program and analyze if they should abandon their new designs.

clarification...NASA never made anything. It was mostly Lockheed and other contractors. I get what you're saying though. Sadly, they've lost all knowledge of how they did things back in the day

a reply to: Raptured

Technology advanced way passed how they were made back then. The new stuff has to be made differently than the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. The vacuum tubes and hand woven magnetic memory modules are no longer used.

a reply to: firerescue

I hadn't heard of this until now. I heard about the launch, but not the delays deorbiting.

I guess the good news, because it wasn't evident in the C&P above, is that the Starliner is still docked with the ISS, which is a lot better than drifting around in space. The ISS might be a little more cramped while they sort out a solution, but resupplying the ISS if necessary is also an option

This was Boeing's chance to shine, and it's sounding like they're foundering once again. If Nasa has to cut the Starliner loose from the ISS and cast it off for unmanned re-entry (basically throwing it away), that will be a colossal failure, colossal waste of taxpayer money and a giant black eye for Boeing at a time when the last thing they need is another black eye.

Boeing is a giant employer in the US, so I don't want to see them fail, but planes and spaceships falling out of the sky is something which will shake public and corporate confidence to the core in very short order. This will be pretty high-profile if Boeing/NASA have to abandon Starliner in space.

a reply to: firerescue

The irony is rich in this one. Dragon would be the best option but I wonder about the space suits - would the Starliner suits mate up with Dragon systems. I'd think they'd send up some empty suits with the rescue ship.

However and but, NASA has a history of ignoring warnings about safety so who knows what they'll do.

One man Elon Musk.

Makes Boeing/NASA look like amateurs.

Because our tax dollars aren’t that important.

Billions to Ukraine.

How did they let it get this bloated.

originally posted by: chris_stibrany
Can't build space craft can't build air craft..... Boeing should be broken up.

Too big to fail?

a reply to: firerescue

DEI hires. . .

originally posted by: Raptured

originally posted by: rickymouse
Remember when NASA used to make good spacecraft? I think they should look at their program and analyze if they should abandon their new designs.

clarification...NASA never made anything. It was mostly Lockheed and other contractors. I get what you're saying though. Sadly, they've lost all knowledge of how they did things back in the day

No.

NASA and Boeing have been both infested with DEI simpletons incapable of doing anything

The irony is rich in this one. Dragon would be the best option but I wonder about the space suits - would the Starliner suits mate up with Dragon systems. I'd think they'd send up some empty suits with the rescue ship.

However and but, NASA has a history of ignoring warnings about safety so who knows what they'll do.

a reply to: billxam1

Starliner has only 2 crew aboard , which will make it easier incase had to retrieve the 2 astronauts

Most likely send 2 suits up - Dragon has unique system for connecting to the spacecraft oxygen and communication system

a reply to: Tolkien

Boeing had a downturn long ago. After the merger it went from an engineer centric company to one who pays shareholders.

They shifted from innovation and being a gold standard to a focus on making money for the market.

a reply to: billxam1

These are not really space suits on ether Dragon or Starliner. They are flight suits. They cannot keep you alive in vacuum. They have cooling, air feed and communication for convenience. At best, they would keep you going for a few seconds longer in a decompression situation. Mostly, they are for comfort and to keep the environment in the capsule cleaner.

The suits won't matter. It would just be uncomfortable for a few hours not connected to the capsule systems.

a reply to: gortex

The heat shield situation should be a hard stop on using it to return. We've all seen what happens when heat shielding fails on re-entry.

a reply to: BeyondKnowledge3

WRONG !!!!

The suits used on Dragon and Starliner are full pressure suits known as IVA Inter Vehicle Activity they provide breathable
atmosphere and pressure in case of decompression and are used only inside of the spacecraft They differ from a full space suit or EVA Extra Vehicle Activity as that lack the micro Metroid and thermal protection required outside the spacecraft

SPACE X has designed an EVA suit based on the Dragon suit It is to be tested on the upcoming Polaris Dawn mission scheduled for launch next month o

a reply to: firerescue

It seems you are correct. The last time I checked on those particular suits was when they were in development.

I parsonally prefer a mechanical pressure suit design as it does not suffer from air leaks by puncture. Only the helmet and counterlung contain air.

Also from what I have found, each spacex suit is made to the astronaut. That could be a problem.