SPACE
Signal Buried in Biggest Explosion Ever Seen Hints at Total Annihilation
Michelle Starr
Thu, August 1, 2024
Every now and again, the night sky lights up with a spectacular explosion that blazes with the most energetic light our Universe can produce. Known as gamma-ray bursts, they can release in a few seconds what our Sun will emit over its lifetime.
Now scientists have found a never-before-seen signal buried in the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation delivered by the brightest gamma ray burst ever recorded.
That signal is an emission light – a bright region in the gamma-ray spectrum produced by something emitting light in that specific wavelength range. And that something, scientists have determined, is complete and utter destruction: the mutual annihilation of electron-positron pairs, matter and its antimatter counterpart.
Nicknamed 'the BOAT' (short for the Brightest Of All Time), the burst was detected back in October of 2022. It was the result of a huge star exploding as its core collapsed into a black hole, spilling out so many energetic photons we had a hard time taking accurate measurements.
But measurements were, indeed, taken, and scientists knew from very early on that they were looking at something special.
"A few minutes after the BOAT erupted, Fermi's Gamma-ray Burst Monitor recorded an unusual energy peak that caught our attention," says astrophysicist Maria Edvige Ravasio of Radboud University in the Netherlands.
"When I first saw that signal, it gave me goosebumps. Our analysis since then shows it to be the first high-confidence emission line ever seen in 50 years of studying gamma-ray bursts."
An example of emission lines on a spectrum. This particular series is the emission signature of beryllium. (McZusatz/Wikimedia Commons/CC 1.0 Universal)
Appearing as brightened bars on the spectrum of light emitted from a source, emission lines indicate something is causing light of particular wavelengths to shine more brightly – a source of extra emission. Similarly, darker bars known as absorption lines can appear where wavelengths of light are absorbed.
Emission and absorption features can tell us a lot about the constituent chemistry of various astrophysical processes, from the metallicity of stars to molecules in the makeup of distant planetary atmospheres.
There are different scenarios that can produce a gamma-ray burst, an explosion of the most energetic light on the electromagnetic spectrum, but the one that produced the BOAT – officially named GRB 221009A – was the birth of a black hole. The outer material of the star was violently ejected out into space, while the core collapsed under gravity to form the densest kind of object in the Universe.
An artist's impression of an astrophysical jet erupting from an object. (NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab)
This explosion was accompanied by jets or particles bursting outwards in opposite directions. This is what we see in a gamma-ray burst, with the jet angled towards our line of sight.
When GRB 221009A first exploded, the brightness was so extreme it obscured any detail. Over 80 seconds, the burst evolved from a peak energy of 12 million electron volts down to around 6 million electron volts. Just five minutes later, the brightness had subsided enough for the Fermi gamma-ray telescope to discern an emission line that lasted for at least 40 seconds.
The researchers believe a phenomenon called annihilation was responsible for the enhanced glow. When an electron and its antimatter counterpart, a positron, collide, they produce a photon with an energy of 0.511 million electron volts.
The emission feature observed in the BOAT reflects a much higher energy, but the researchers have an explanation for that. The annihilation occurred in a jet that was moving towards us at roughly 99.9 percent of the speed of light. This made the energy appear much higher than it was, an illusion based on our viewing angle that can be seen in other astrophysical jets.
"Because we're looking into the jet, where matter is moving at near light speed, this emission becomes greatly blueshifted and pushed toward much higher energies," explains astrophysicist Gor Oganesyan of Gran Sasso Science Institute in Italy.
Although it seems like GRB 221009A was an extreme example of a gamma ray burst, subsequent observations and analysis have since revealed that the BOAT was actually quite normal – its brightness was merely the result of its orientation, erupting right in our direction.
This is actually good news. It means we can use the BOAT to understand how gamma-ray bursts typically evolve over time, and the processes that take place within them.
"After decades of studying these incredible cosmic explosions, we still don't understand the details of how these jets work," says astrophysicist Elizabeth Hays of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
"Finding clues like this remarkable emission line will help scientists investigate this extreme environment more deeply."
The findings have been published in Science.
HINTS, NOTHING, IT SCREAMS ANNIHILATION
Michelle Starr
Thu, August 1, 2024
Every now and again, the night sky lights up with a spectacular explosion that blazes with the most energetic light our Universe can produce. Known as gamma-ray bursts, they can release in a few seconds what our Sun will emit over its lifetime.
Now scientists have found a never-before-seen signal buried in the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation delivered by the brightest gamma ray burst ever recorded.
That signal is an emission light – a bright region in the gamma-ray spectrum produced by something emitting light in that specific wavelength range. And that something, scientists have determined, is complete and utter destruction: the mutual annihilation of electron-positron pairs, matter and its antimatter counterpart.
Nicknamed 'the BOAT' (short for the Brightest Of All Time), the burst was detected back in October of 2022. It was the result of a huge star exploding as its core collapsed into a black hole, spilling out so many energetic photons we had a hard time taking accurate measurements.
But measurements were, indeed, taken, and scientists knew from very early on that they were looking at something special.
"A few minutes after the BOAT erupted, Fermi's Gamma-ray Burst Monitor recorded an unusual energy peak that caught our attention," says astrophysicist Maria Edvige Ravasio of Radboud University in the Netherlands.
"When I first saw that signal, it gave me goosebumps. Our analysis since then shows it to be the first high-confidence emission line ever seen in 50 years of studying gamma-ray bursts."
An example of emission lines on a spectrum. This particular series is the emission signature of beryllium. (McZusatz/Wikimedia Commons/CC 1.0 Universal)
Appearing as brightened bars on the spectrum of light emitted from a source, emission lines indicate something is causing light of particular wavelengths to shine more brightly – a source of extra emission. Similarly, darker bars known as absorption lines can appear where wavelengths of light are absorbed.
Emission and absorption features can tell us a lot about the constituent chemistry of various astrophysical processes, from the metallicity of stars to molecules in the makeup of distant planetary atmospheres.
There are different scenarios that can produce a gamma-ray burst, an explosion of the most energetic light on the electromagnetic spectrum, but the one that produced the BOAT – officially named GRB 221009A – was the birth of a black hole. The outer material of the star was violently ejected out into space, while the core collapsed under gravity to form the densest kind of object in the Universe.
An artist's impression of an astrophysical jet erupting from an object. (NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab)
This explosion was accompanied by jets or particles bursting outwards in opposite directions. This is what we see in a gamma-ray burst, with the jet angled towards our line of sight.
When GRB 221009A first exploded, the brightness was so extreme it obscured any detail. Over 80 seconds, the burst evolved from a peak energy of 12 million electron volts down to around 6 million electron volts. Just five minutes later, the brightness had subsided enough for the Fermi gamma-ray telescope to discern an emission line that lasted for at least 40 seconds.
The researchers believe a phenomenon called annihilation was responsible for the enhanced glow. When an electron and its antimatter counterpart, a positron, collide, they produce a photon with an energy of 0.511 million electron volts.
The emission feature observed in the BOAT reflects a much higher energy, but the researchers have an explanation for that. The annihilation occurred in a jet that was moving towards us at roughly 99.9 percent of the speed of light. This made the energy appear much higher than it was, an illusion based on our viewing angle that can be seen in other astrophysical jets.
"Because we're looking into the jet, where matter is moving at near light speed, this emission becomes greatly blueshifted and pushed toward much higher energies," explains astrophysicist Gor Oganesyan of Gran Sasso Science Institute in Italy.
Although it seems like GRB 221009A was an extreme example of a gamma ray burst, subsequent observations and analysis have since revealed that the BOAT was actually quite normal – its brightness was merely the result of its orientation, erupting right in our direction.
This is actually good news. It means we can use the BOAT to understand how gamma-ray bursts typically evolve over time, and the processes that take place within them.
"After decades of studying these incredible cosmic explosions, we still don't understand the details of how these jets work," says astrophysicist Elizabeth Hays of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
"Finding clues like this remarkable emission line will help scientists investigate this extreme environment more deeply."
The findings have been published in Science.
NASA reveals game-changing material that could alter the future of construction: 'Benefiting industry, our agency, and humanity'
Jon Turi
Fri, August 2, 2024
NASA research has spawned myriad life-improving technologies over the years, including water purification, home insulation, and freeze-drying processes for food.
Now, the space agency is investing in innovative synthetic biology research that aims to use threaded fungal root systems, or mycelia, to build off-world habitats, as reported by Archinect. As before, this myco-architecture project could even inform eco-friendly building designs on Earth.
A team of engineers at NASA Ames Research Center has received $2 million in funding through the agency's Innovative Advanced Concepts program to continue developing their Mycotecture Off Planet project.
"Right now, traditional habitat designs for Mars are like a turtle — carrying our homes with us on our backs — a reliable plan, but with huge energy costs," said Lynn Rothschild, the principal investigator on the early-stage project, in a press release.
"Instead, we can harness mycelia to grow these habitats ourselves when we get there."
Given the right conditions, the fungus can form complex structures ranging from a leather-like material to building blocks for a future Mars habitat.
Watch now: High-speed rail can cut an hour commute to 15 minutes — so why isn't it more prevalent?
The sustainable off-world plan starts with dormant fungi, which are capable of surviving long space journeys. Using simple, lightweight structures and adding water to the mycelia, it will grow around the framework and provide a fully functional human dwelling.
"We invest in these technologies throughout their lifecycle, recognizing their potential to help us accomplish our goals — benefiting industry, our agency, and humanity," as Walt Engelund from the Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters shared, per the article.
The overall design is a three-layer dome structure, with the outer section consisting of frozen water ice, perhaps using resources found on the Moon or Mars. While that helps protect from radiation, a layer of cyanobacteria would use that water and sunlight to photosynthesize oxygen and nutrients, feeding the final layer of mycelia.
That fungal structure would then be baked to kill the lifeform, resulting in structural integrity and keeping other worlds free from biological contamination.
Companies have worked with mycelium bricks before, using the microscopic fungi fibers mixed with agricultural waste. Natural materials like these could help replace concrete and cement, which pose a significant environmental threat. Around 40% of planet-warming carbon pollution stems from construction processes alone.
Fungus has become an unlikely champion in other places as well. It's been used as a flame retardant, to improve soil's carbon capture ability, and to eat plastics.
Rothschild's lab is working with mycelia in a variety of other projects that make their way toward improving life on Earth, including water filtration, bioluminescent lighting, and self-healing habitats that could mimic the inherent properties of cork.
"NASA's space technology team and the NIAC program unlock visionary ideas – ideas that make the impossible, possible," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.
"This new research is a stepping stone to our Artemis campaign as we prepare to go back to the Moon to live, to learn, to invent, to create — then venture to Mars and beyond."
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Jon Turi
Fri, August 2, 2024
NASA research has spawned myriad life-improving technologies over the years, including water purification, home insulation, and freeze-drying processes for food.
Now, the space agency is investing in innovative synthetic biology research that aims to use threaded fungal root systems, or mycelia, to build off-world habitats, as reported by Archinect. As before, this myco-architecture project could even inform eco-friendly building designs on Earth.
A team of engineers at NASA Ames Research Center has received $2 million in funding through the agency's Innovative Advanced Concepts program to continue developing their Mycotecture Off Planet project.
"Right now, traditional habitat designs for Mars are like a turtle — carrying our homes with us on our backs — a reliable plan, but with huge energy costs," said Lynn Rothschild, the principal investigator on the early-stage project, in a press release.
"Instead, we can harness mycelia to grow these habitats ourselves when we get there."
Given the right conditions, the fungus can form complex structures ranging from a leather-like material to building blocks for a future Mars habitat.
Watch now: High-speed rail can cut an hour commute to 15 minutes — so why isn't it more prevalent?
The sustainable off-world plan starts with dormant fungi, which are capable of surviving long space journeys. Using simple, lightweight structures and adding water to the mycelia, it will grow around the framework and provide a fully functional human dwelling.
"We invest in these technologies throughout their lifecycle, recognizing their potential to help us accomplish our goals — benefiting industry, our agency, and humanity," as Walt Engelund from the Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters shared, per the article.
The overall design is a three-layer dome structure, with the outer section consisting of frozen water ice, perhaps using resources found on the Moon or Mars. While that helps protect from radiation, a layer of cyanobacteria would use that water and sunlight to photosynthesize oxygen and nutrients, feeding the final layer of mycelia.
That fungal structure would then be baked to kill the lifeform, resulting in structural integrity and keeping other worlds free from biological contamination.
Companies have worked with mycelium bricks before, using the microscopic fungi fibers mixed with agricultural waste. Natural materials like these could help replace concrete and cement, which pose a significant environmental threat. Around 40% of planet-warming carbon pollution stems from construction processes alone.
Fungus has become an unlikely champion in other places as well. It's been used as a flame retardant, to improve soil's carbon capture ability, and to eat plastics.
Rothschild's lab is working with mycelia in a variety of other projects that make their way toward improving life on Earth, including water filtration, bioluminescent lighting, and self-healing habitats that could mimic the inherent properties of cork.
"NASA's space technology team and the NIAC program unlock visionary ideas – ideas that make the impossible, possible," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.
"This new research is a stepping stone to our Artemis campaign as we prepare to go back to the Moon to live, to learn, to invent, to create — then venture to Mars and beyond."
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Sharon Adarlo
Fri, August 2, 2024
Orbit Error
It looks like NASA officials might be seeing the writing on the wall for the very troubled Boeing Starliner, which has marooned two astronauts up in space for almost two months due to technical issues.
An unnamed "informed" source told Ars Technica that there's a greater than 50 percent probability that the stranded astronauts will end up leaving the International Space Station on a SpaceX Dragon capsule, with another unnamed person telling the news outlet that the scenario is highly likely.
NASA officials are more cagey about what's happening on the record, a marked contrast from previous weeks when they expressed confidence in the Starliner's ability to safely bring back the astronauts.
"NASA is evaluating all options for the return of agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station as safely as possible," NASA spokesperson Josh Finch told Ars. "No decisions have been made and the agency will continue to provide updates on its planning."
The Starliner project has been cursed from the beginning, with delays and hardware issues during the development and production of the capsule, which has seen Boeing eating something like $1.6 billion in losses.
Despite technical troubles before the launch, NASA went ahead with Starliner's first crewed mission in June. While on approach towards the space station, Starliner experienced helium leaks and issues with its thrusters, forcing NASA and Boeing to delay its return back home with the astronauts so that engineers back on the ground could troubleshoot the problems.
Fess Up
Many signs are now pointing towards SpaceX rescuing the stranded astronauts, according to Ars. These signs include the space agency giving more than a quarter million dollars to SpaceX for a "SPECIAL STUDY FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE," and SpaceX actively training for the likely situation of the company sending a Dragon capsule to the space station to bring the astronauts home.
If SpaceX does get the green light, expect the Starliner project to be shoved into the proverbial dumpster, according to Ars' analysis.
It would be a bad look all around, because it would mean the American government had funneled a total of $5.8 billion into malfunctioning junk.
If this scenario happens, with Starliner not deemed safe enough for human travel, we hope politicians and others investigate what went wrong, given that SpaceX has managed to build the immensely more reliable Dragon capsule at 50 percent less cost than Boeing's spacecraft.
What kind of oversight did NASA bring to the Starliner program during its development and production process?
That's just one hard question among many.
More on Boeing Starliner: Retired Astronaut Admits Boeing's Starliner Has Trapped Crew in Space
Boeing's Spacecraft That's Stuck in Space Cost Twice as Much as SpaceX's Version That Does the Same Thing and Works Perfectly
Sharon Adarlo
Fri, August 2, 2024
Star Burst
The Boeing Starliner — which has marooned two NASA astronauts in space after it ran into trouble on its first crewed voyage — has cost nearly double what SpaceX spent on its rival Crew Dragon, with Starliner plagued by far more technical problems.
The Starliner's budget woes came to the fore this week when Boeing admitted in a quarterly statement, flagged by Ars Technica, that the company lost another $125 million on the Starliner, adding up to around $5.8 billion in total cost.
NASA had originally awarded $4.2 billion to Boeing to build Starliner, resulting in an almost $1.6 billion loss for the company.
Meanwhile, NASA had given only around $3.1 billion to SpaceX, headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, for the Dragon capsule, which has now been successfully ferrying astronauts to space since 2020. In contrast, this is the maiden crewed mission for Starliner, a project marred overall with years of delays,
Starliner's current problems were evident even before its launch into space in June. The capsule experienced a helium leak in one of its thrusters, but NASA went ahead with the mission.
And then on its journey towards the International Space Station in June, the Starliner had more helium leaks and issues with its thrusters, which has indefinitely delayed the return of the two astronauts it brought to the space outpost as teams on the ground scramble to understand its technical woes.
Course Correct
NASA had wanted two options for ferrying astronauts into space, which is why it awarded Boeing and SpaceX deals to build reusable capsules. But SpaceX has come on top in the race, with NASA awarding it a $1.4 billion extension in 2022 due to Starliner delays.
Sure, this means things are great for SpaceX and okay for NASA, which hasn't had to eat the losses from the Starliner. But it's terrible news for Boeing, which has also been dealing with a storm of controversy since a door plug blew out from one of its planes earlier this year.
But NASA doesn't have redundancy for space capsules in the eventuality that SpaceX has any issues.
And there's another wrinkle: NASA has become increasingly reliant on Musk and SpaceX over the years, which may explain why NASA has not come out to publicly spank Musk for sexual misconduct and sometimes fatal safety concerns at SpaceX.
And that's bad for taxpayers, who should demand better from people receiving government money.
More on Boeing Starliner: Retired Astronaut Admits Boeing's Starliner Has Trapped Crew in Space
56 days and counting: Two NASA astronauts are still in space as tests on Boeing capsule continue
Denise Chow
Updated Thu, August 1, 2024
Their high-stakes mission was supposed to last about a week — but 56 days later, two NASA astronauts are still aboard the International Space Station, waiting as teams on the ground try to figure out how to bring them home safely in the Boeing spaceship they rode to orbit.
The beleaguered Starliner capsule has two problems: its propulsion system is leaking helium and five of its thrusters malfunctioned as it was docking with the space station. Mission managers were aware of the leaks before the vehicle lifted off but had said they were unlikely to affect the flight or the astronauts’ safety.
Over the weekend, NASA and Boeing engineers conducted a key test of the Starliner, which launched veteran astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on the vehicle’s first crewed flight on June 5.
The “hot fire test,” as it is known, was the second such test of the Starliner’s thrusters while it has been docked at the space station. It involved firing 27 of the capsule’s 28 jets for bursts of no longer than 1.2 seconds. Engineers on the ground evaluated the thrusters’ performance one at a time and also checked the status of the helium leaks.
In a blog post published Tuesday, NASA said preliminary results were encouraging, with all of the tested thrusters performing well.
“Both teams were very happy with the results,” Chloe Mehring, NASA’s flight director for the Starliner mission, said in a statement.
The agency also said it had verified that the Starliner’s propulsion system was stable and that helium leak rates had not increased in a way that might jeopardize a return trip to Earth. The helium system will be checked again before the Starliner capsule undocks from the space station, according to NASA.Wilmore and Williams were seated inside the Starliner capsule during the hot fire test as part of their return preparations, NASA said.
The thrusters are crucial for maneuvering the spacecraft in orbit, such as when the capsule approaches the space station and when it backs away from the outpost during the undocking process.
The capsule's reaction control thrusters are also used to guide it into proper position before a different set of engines is fired to begin the journey out of orbit.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore (John Raoux / AP file)
The in-orbit Starliner tests came after weeks of work on the ground using a test engine at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. Teams subjected that engine and thrusters — which were developed for future Starliner flights — to conditions similar to those that the capsule experienced on its way to the space station. Engineers also replicated conditions that the Starliner will experience as it undocks and prepares to re-enter the atmosphere.In the coming days, NASA and Boeing officials will assess data from all the tests to date and may conduct a formal review to discuss when to bring the capsule and its astronaut crew home.
NASA has not set a target landing date for the mission, but has said there are opportunities throughout August.
Image: Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (NASA via AP)
Initially, NASA had set a 45-day time limit for Wilmore and Williams to stay at the space station because of constraints with the Starliner capsule’s batteries. But agency officials said this month that the batteries were being recharged while the spacecraft is docked, thus lowering the risk of extending the capsule's time in orbit.With this mission, Boeing was hoping to prove that its Starliner capsule could safely ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station — a key step before NASA can authorize the company to conduct routine flights to the orbiting outpost. Rival company SpaceX has been transporting NASA astronauts since 2020.
Starliner’s first uncrewed test flight, in 2019, also encountered problems and was cut short after software glitches prevented the capsule from attempting to dock at the space station. Subsequent fuel valve issues caused several delays before the vehicle succeeded in docking at the space station without a crew in 2022.
Then in the spring, the NASA astronauts’ launch was delayed twice before they finally lifted off.
Wilmore and Williams’ lengthy stay on the space station makes the orbiting outpost more crowded, but mission managers have said there are enough supplies and resources aboard to accommodate them.
As they await their return to Earth, Williams and Wilmore have been conducting science experiments and assisting with various space station duties alongside the seven crew members — four NASA astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts — who were already stationed there.
“This is a tough business that we’re in,” Wilmore said this month in a news briefing from the space station. “Human spaceflight is not easy in any regime, and there have been multiple issues with any spacecraft that’s ever been designed, and that’s the nature of what we do.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
NASA pushes Boeing Starliner return meeting to at least next week
Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
Thu, August 1, 2024
Despite NASA officials last week stating a return readiness review might happen this week for Boeing’s Starliner, teams instead continue to go over data for the spacecraft before any decision on its departure from the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams await the decision of whether or not they will be able to climb back aboard the spacecraft for its return to Earth to complete the Crew Flight Test mission. That readiness review was pushed to next week at the earliest, according to an update from NASA.
The duo launched aboard Starliner atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station back on June 5 for what was originally planned to be about an eight-day mission to the ISS. On their way to a June 6 docking, though, the spacecraft suffered failures on five of its 28 reaction control thrusters as well as several helium leaks in the service module that houses the thrusters.
NASA and Boeing decided to perform ground tests on a similar thruster to mimic conditions on the flight up and what the thrusters would face on the way back down to Earth as well as using a former service module that was never launched to figure out the likely reason behind the helium leaks.
Teams also performed a second hot fire test of 27 of the 28 thrusters this past weekend to test their capability and recheck helium leaks. Boeing said that hot fire test went well.
NASA Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich said in a press conference ahead of the test last week that teams would go over that test’s data before setting up the higher-level return readiness review meeting after which they would declare a return date. He had expected that review to come late this week, but that’s now been pushed back.
In an update Thursday on NASA’s website, the agency announced teams need more time to go over the hot-fire testing, to finalize flight rationale for use of the affected propulsion system and confirm its reliability for the flight home.
Also still needed before the meeting is the finalizing of undocking procedures and “operational mitigations that could be used in flight, if needed, to build further confidence in the system,” according to the NASA update.
Boeing posted this week that its teams on Tuesday spent time on the ground and in space prepping for Starliner’s return procedures.
The simulated undocking involved Mission Control in Houston and Boeing’s Mission Control Center at Kennedy Space Center as both Wilmore and Williams monitored the simulation from the ISS. Future Starliner mission NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke took part in the Boeing Mission Simulator while Canadian Space Agency astronaut Josh Kutryk was monitored from Houston.
Also this week, Williams and Wilmore performed pressure checks on their spacesuits and performed an exterior inspection of the Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso, by using the Canadarm outside the ISS.
Boeing has also supplied data to NASA for potential return dates throughout August.
NASA said return planning will continue into next week before the return readiness review can take place.
NASA has the upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 launch targeting as early as Aug. 18 to launch from KSC, but will need Starliner to depart the ISS for a place to park unless NASA opts to send the Crew-8 astronauts home in their Crew Dragon spacecraft before Crew-9’s arrival. The ISS has only two parking spaces for the likes of Starliner and Dragon.
Boeing is trying to play catchup to SpaceX to perform rotational astronaut flights from the U.S. for NASA. SpaceX performed its crewed flight test mission, Demo-2, back in May 2020. SpaceX has since flown its fleet of four Crew Dragon spacecraft 12 more times with three more potential launches before the end of the year.
Starliner’s CFT marks its first human spaceflight, launching more than four years after SpaceX’s Demo-2. It needs to complete the mission in order for NASA to consider certification of the spacecraft so Boeing can then share crew missions with SpaceX.
Starliner-1 would be that first mission, but it won’t fly until at least August 2025, and would be the first of six contracted flights for Boeing flying a once-a-year rate trading off duties every six months with SpaceX until the ISS is shut down after 2030.
SpaceX, meanwhile, was given the go to prep for its 10th crew exchange flight as early as next February with the Crew-10 mission while also prepping Crew-11 in case Starliner-1 delays beyond next August.
Boeing says it'll lose at least $125 million more as its Starliner aircraft remains stuck in space with no return date
Aditi Bharade
Fri, August 2, 2024
Boeing says it'll lose at least $125 million more as its Starliner aircraft remains stuck in space with no return date
The Boeing Starliner's return to Earth is delayed indefinitely, adding $125 million in losses.
NASA astronauts have been stuck on the ISS for 57 days due to issues with its propulsion system.
Boeing burned through $4.3 billion in cash and reported a $1.44 billion net loss in Q2.
As the Boeing Starliner's return to Earth is delayed indefinitely, the aerospace company expects to lose $125 million more.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore reached the International Space Station (ISS) via the Starliner on June 6, and were supposed to stay in space for eight days.
However, due to thruster issues and helium leaks on the spaceship, they have been stuck there for 57 days and counting, with their return delayed indefinitely.
In a Wednesday SEC filing, Boeing said that because of the delays, it has "increased the reach-forward loss on the program by $125 (million)."
This was on top of the $288 million additional loss that the company had projected in 2023, per the filing. This was when it first delayed the Starliner's launch after identifying problems with the aircraft's tests.
From the get go, the Starliner launch has been plagued by delays due to technical issues.
On May 6, a pressure relief valve in the Atlas 5 rocket led to the first delay. Then, on June 1, there was an issue with the ground computers that orchestrated the final countdown, which led to a second delay.
While the eventual launch on June 5 was successful, one of Starliner's 28 Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters unexpectedly shut down, and another went offline as it approached the ISS.
Later, NASA discovered five leaks in Starliner's helium supply, which is used to pressurize its propulsion system. Its ground crew has been troubleshooting the issues since.
In a statement on July 31, Boeing said: "The Starliner team is proceeding through checklists to be ready for return when a date is chosen."
It added: "They spent Tuesday practicing for undocking during an integrated simulation with the International Space Station."
NASA has also floated the idea of using a SpaceX spacecraft to bring the astronauts down to Earth.
"We have two different systems that we're flying," Steve Stich, the manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said in a press briefing on July 25. He was referring to the Boeing Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
"Obviously, the backup option is to use a different system," he added. "I would rather not go into all those details until we get to that time, if we ever get to that time."
Adding to Boeing's financial troubles
The Starliner's new projected loss adds to Boeing's increasing financial woes.
The company burned $4.3 billion in cash and reported a net loss of $1.44 billion for the second quarter of 2024.
The financial troubles come amidst a series of investigations into Boeing's manufacturing quality and safety regulations.
It agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge linked to two crashes of its 737 Max jetliners that killed 346 people, according to a court filing by the Justice Department on July 7.
Under the plea deal, Boeing will pay an additional fine of $243.6 million. This is on top of the $243.6 million Boeing paid in 2021 as part of the settlement it breached.
It will also be required to invest at least $455 million in its compliance and safety programs and appoint an independent monitor to oversee the company.
Representatives for Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
Aria Alamalhodaei
Updated Thu, August 1, 2024
Boeing has lost another $125 million on its Starliner astronaut capsule program due to delays in its first crewed flight test, which was supposed to last just eight days — and has now been on orbit for almost two months.
The aerospace giant has lost $1.6 billion on Starliner, including the $125 million, which was reported to regulators in a quarterly filing. While the company was awarded a massive $4.2 billion contract to accelerate Starliner development in 2014, it was structured as a “fixed-price” model. That means any cost overruns are solely the contractor’s responsibility.
SpaceX was also awarded a fixed-price contract for astronaut transportation services for $2.6 billion at the same time and has been fulfilling its contracted obligations for the space agency with the Crew Dragon capsule since 2020.
But while SpaceX’s crewed services have soared — to include missions for both NASA and private customers — Boeing has struggled. Under the two contracts, NASA said it would buy six crewed launches each from Boeing and SpaceX, but due to Starliner delays, NASA has purchased an additional eight missions from SpaceX. The Elon Musk-led company is now the only provider of astronaut transportation services for the space agency.
Serious issues discovered during an uncrewed test flight in 2019 pushed back the date of another test by two years. The company had a moment of brief victory in 2022, when that uncrewed mission was finally successful, but additional problems discovered afterward pushed the crewed flight test to this June.
That mission, which launched on June 5, delivered NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the ISS. But it didn’t go entirely smoothly; a number of issues, including malfunctioning thrusters, have led Boeing and NASA officials to delay the return of the two astronauts for weeks.
This loss and others has made Boeing executives reticent to take on more fixed-price contracts in the future: “Based on the lessons that we’ve learned in taking on these fixed-price development programs, we have maintained contracting discipline for all future opportunities,” outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun said on an earnings call.
It’s likely that Boeing will incur further losses in the program. NASA has already said it would push back the first Starliner mission to no earlier than August 2025, yet another delay for the program. In an absolute worst-case scenario, major modifications to Starliner’s propulsion system could be very costly.
As of right now, Starliner does not have a return date to Earth. The agency said it was aiming to wrap up a final readiness review in the first week of August and make a decision on the return date at that point. A thruster test conducted on orbit was promising, however, with NASA saying in a July 30 update that the preliminary results showed that the thrusters are back to “preflight levels” of performance.
Boeing eats another $125 million loss over Starliner woes
The Starliner doesn't have a return date from the ISS yet.
Mariella Moon
·Contributing Reporter
Thu, August 1, 2024
Boeing
Boeig has revealed that it has taken another $125 million in losses as a result of its Starliner spacecraft's delayed return from the ISS. As SpaceNews reports, the company has revealed the losses in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, along with more details about its earnings for the second quarter of the year. The company already posted $288 million in losses "primarily as a result of delaying" the Crew Flight Test mission in 2023.
The first crewed Starliner flight took off in June with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams on board. Boeing's spacecraft was only supposed to stay docked to the ISS for eight days before ferrying the astronauts back to Earth, but issues with its hardware prevented the mission from sticking to its original timeline.
The company had to examine and find what caused the Starliner's degraded maneuvering thrusters while it was approaching the ISS. In addition, the helium leak that caused several delays to the spacecraft's launch seemed to have worsened, as well. Since June, the company has been putting the spacecraft through a series of tests. Just a few days ago, on July 27, it completed a hot fire test of the Starliner's reaction control system jets and made sure that the vehicle's helium leak rates remain within the acceptable margin. The tests were conducted with Williams and Wilmore onboard, because they're part of the preparations for the spacecraft's flight back home.
NASA said the tests' results are still being reviewed. But once Boeing and the agency ensure that the Starliner is ready, they will set a date for the Starliner and the astronauts' return flight.
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