Launch of Boeing’s Starliner and NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme

Context

The launch of Boeing’s unscrewed Starliner Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) that was supposed to lift off from the Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station has been postponed once again.

About NASA recent space programs

CST-100 Starliner

• The Starliner is a spacecraft that is supposed to carry more than 400 pounds of NASA cargo and crew supplies.
• The Starliner has an innovative, weldless structure andis reusable up to 10 times with a six-month turnaround time.
• It features wireless internet and tablet technology for crew interfaces.
• It will take around 24 hours to reach the ISS, after which it will dock.
• The spacecraft can accommodate around seven passengers or a mix of crew and cargo for missions to the low-Earth orbit.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

• Objective: To reduce the cost of transportation.
• NASA plans to lower the costs by sharing them with commercial partners such as Boeing and SpaceX.

Significance of commercializing the programs for NASA

• NASA will give incentives to the companies for designing and build the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS).
• NASA can focus on building spacecraft and rockets that aremeant for deep space exploration missions.
• These integrated spacecraft, rockets, and systems will help in maintaining a space station crew of seven to maximize time dedicated to scientific research on the orbiting laboratory.