NASA’s CST-100 Starliner Fails First Test Flight

The CST-100 Starliner, a space capsule designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), recently came under the spotlight following its unsuccessful first test flight. The spacecraft was developed to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s efforts to resume human spaceflight from the United States. This setback, however, is likely to delay these plans further.

NASA’s Dependence on Russia and the CST-100 Starliner

For several years, NASA has been reliant on Russia for sending astronauts to the ISS due to the lack of a domestic spacecraft capable of such missions. To address this, NASA has contracted both Boeing and SpaceX to create suitable spacecraft. The CST-100 Starliner, built by Boeing, represents one half of this strategy.

The Failure of the CST-100 Starliner’s Test Flight

The Starliner’s initial test flight was unfortunately not successful. This result is set to hinder NASA’s plans to recommence human spaceflights from within the United States.

The Role of SpaceX in NASA’s Plan

NASA’s other contract is with SpaceX, which has developed the Crew Dragon capsule. Unlike Starliner, the Crew Dragon is set to launch in 2020. Although this flight won’t carry a crew, if successful, it places SpaceX in prime position to start sending astronauts into space.

Details about the International Space Station (ISS)

The ISS serves as a habitable artificial satellite, and holds the record for being the largest man-made structure in low earth orbit. Travelling in orbit around Earth, the ISS completes an impressive 15.5 orbits daily. It is the collaborative project of five participant space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). Its ownership and usage has been determined through intergovernmental treaties and agreements.

Utilization of the ISS

Launched into orbit in 1998, the ISS still undergoes ongoing development and assembly. It serves as a research laboratory for microgravity and space environment studies. Here, crew members perform various experiments across fields such as biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, and meteorology. The station’s continuous habitation has resulted in the longest continuous human presence in low earth orbit. Experts predict its operation will continue until 2030.

Quick Facts about the ISS

The Implications of the Starliner’s Failed Flight

This failure of the Starliner’s first test flight is more than a minor setback — it represents a potential delay in NASA’s efforts to resume human spaceflight from the United States. In the meantime, NASA’s reliance on Russia to transport astronauts to the ISS continues — at least until SpaceX’s upcoming Crew Dragon mission proves successful.