Updates Boeing's CST-100 Starliner

Orbinaut Pete

ISSU Project Manager
News Reporter
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
4,264
Reaction score
0
Points
0
 
Last edited:

francisdrake

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
1,060
Reaction score
864
Points
128
Website
francisdrakex.deviantart.com
I really would like to see the CST-100 taking over the legacy of the Orion CEV. I think the Orion was by far the best part of the Constellation project. But developing Orion further, just to fly unmanned to the ISS seems somewhat strange to me.

The CST-100 seems to be a somewhat smaller version of the Orion (Boeing does not detail much on the size yet), but with the same outside shape. So they could use all the gathered data from windtunnel-test, drop tests, etc. and just re-scale them.

If they can make it fit onto an Atlas V it could have a diameter of 3.8 m (instead of Orions 5 m). This would reduce the capsule mass to approximately 4.5 ton. An Atlas V 402 could lift something like 12.5 ton into LEO, without using solid boosters. This leaves 8 ton for the service module and the LAS, somewhat tight, but not impossible.

Personally I never understood the fuss about man-rating the existing EELV launchers. The first American manned launchers were refurbrished intercontinental missiles, the Atlas and the Titan. They worked well, no mission was lost due to a launcher malfunction. I think the best insurance for a safe crewed mission is a launcher with a high reliability, proofed by many successful launches. The Atlas V would very well fit into this.
_________

I found a first indication on the proposed capsule diameter, which could be 4.5 m, somewhat larger than originally guessed. This would indicate a mass of roughly 6 ton for the capsule.

[URL="http://www.transterrestrial.com/?p=28595"[/URL]
 
Last edited:

FSXHD

Heterotroph
Donator
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
106
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Looks like another very intriguing development by Boeing. I hope to see these flying in the future.
 

orbitingpluto

Orbiteer
Joined
May 1, 2010
Messages
618
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Actually, there was a lot of problems man-rating ICBM's back in the day. Reading "On the Shoulders of Titans", I found out there was a lot of development that needed to be done before anyone would have let the first manned Gemini mission fly. Lots of redundancy had to be built in, systems had to added to allow control by the the crew, and there was too much pogo for people to ride it without blacking out. Which would have been bad as the Gemini craft was made so that pilots would be doing much more of the piloting on the way up than before. The Saturn V had pogo trouble as well too. There is problems in man-rating a machine, but there isn't any reason why one shouldn't take advantage of preexisting hardware if it works.
 
Last edited:

Orbinaut Pete

ISSU Project Manager
News Reporter
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
4,264
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Boeing and Space Adventures to Offer Commercial Spaceflight Opportunities.

The Boeing Company and Space Adventures, Ltd. have established a memorandum of agreement regarding the marketing of anticipated transportation services to destinations in low Earth orbit (LEO) on Boeing commercial crew spacecraft.

Under this agreement, Space Adventures will market passenger seats on commercial flights aboard the Boeing Crew Space Transportation-100 (CST-100) spacecraft to LEO. Potential customers for excess seating capacity include private individuals, companies, non-governmental organizations, and U.S. federal agencies other than NASA. Boeing plans to use the CST-100 to provide crew transportation to the International Space Station (ISS) and future commercial LEO platforms.

"By combining our talents, we can better offer safe, affordable transportation to commercial spaceflight customers," said Brewster Shaw, vice president and general manager of Boeing's Space Exploration division. "To date, all commercial flights for private spaceflight participants to the ISS have been contracted by Space Adventures. If NASA and the international partners continue to accommodate commercial spaceflight participants on ISS, this agreement will be in concert with the NASA administrator's stated intent to promote space commerce in low Earth orbit."

Boeing and Space Adventures have not yet set a price per seat for spaceflight participants, but will do so when full-scale development is under way. Boeing continues to advance its design for the CST-100 spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Space Act Agreement. The spacecraft, which can carry seven people, will be able to fly on multiple launch vehicles and is expected to be operational by 2015.

"We are excited about the potential to offer flights on Boeing's spacecraft," said Eric Anderson, co-founder and chairman of Space Adventures. "With our customer experience and Boeing’s heritage in human spaceflight, our goal is not only to benefit the individuals who fly to space, but also to help make the resources of space available to the commercial sector by bringing the value from space back to Earth."

Space Adventures has successfully contracted and flown seven spaceflight participants on eight missions to the International Space Station.

Space Adventures, headquartered in Vienna, Va., is the only company that provides orbital spaceflight opportunities to the world marketplace. The company offers a spectrum of programming that ranges from terrestrial weightless flights to orbital missions, flights to the edge of space, and a historic return to the Moon. Space Adventures' clients have spent over 2,000 hours in space, traveling over 35 million miles.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

-----

Spaceflight Now: "Boeing allies with Space Adventures for tourist flights".

SPACE.com: "Boeing Aims to Fly Passengers to Space on New Capsule".
 

orb

O-F Administrator,
News Reporter
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
14,020
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Boeing commercial crew project depends on NASA funding:
It’s a unique partnership: Boeing will design and build the spacecraft, and Space Adventures will sell seats on flights to low Earth orbit. When this idea might become reality depends on whether Congress provides NASA with enough funds to promote commercial spaceflight.

In a press conference last Wednesday, aerospace giant Boeing announced plans to team up with Space Adventures, which has already flown seven private passengers to the International Space Station, in hopes of making Boeing’s commercial crew vehicle, the CST-100, NASA’s No. 1 choice to transport astronauts to the space station once the shuttle retires.
...
 

Puma

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
89
Reaction score
1
Points
8
CST-100

we need a cool addons of the CST-100 and for Bigelow Commercial Space Station!!!
 
Last edited:

orb

O-F Administrator,
News Reporter
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
14,020
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Boeing: Boeing Submits Proposal for 2nd Round of NASA Commercial Crew Development Program:
HOUSTON, Dec. 13, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today submitted its proposal for the second round of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. Boeing plans to advance the design of its Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft and Commercial Crew Transportation System and continue to demonstrate key technologies.

"In the same way that Boeing helped launch commercial aviation more than 80 years ago, we are working to develop what could become a true commercial space transportation system: a commercial service to take people to the International Space Station and other Low Earth Orbit destinations," said Brewster Shaw, Boeing Space Exploration vice president and general manager. "We plan to further mature our design and continue the development process toward our first crewed flight in 2015."

Boeing is proposing an approach that will significantly mature the CST-100 design through demonstrations of critical subsystems. The CST-100 spacecraft is designed to support NASA's primary objective of affordable access to Low Earth Orbit. It will carry up to seven crew and passengers, is reusable up to 10 times, and is compatible with a variety of expendable launch vehicles. The spacecraft -- which is comprised of a Crew Module and a Service Module -- draws on Apollo-proven aerodynamic characteristics in a design that uses commercial, off-the-shelf, cost-effective technologies.

{...}

boeing-crew-space-transportation-cst-100-spacecraft-lg.jpg
 

orb

O-F Administrator,
News Reporter
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
14,020
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Spaceflight Now: Boeing probes international market for human spacecraft:
WASHINGTON -- Boeing is weighing international sales of its CST-100 commercial crew spacecraft if NASA selects the firm to continue development of the capsule, a company official said Wednesday.

The aerospace powerhouse is designing and testing systems for its CST-100 space capsule, a craft the company says could begin flying astronauts to low Earth orbit by 2015. It will launch on existing rockets to lessen development risk and costs.

{...}

Boeing is also exploring opportunities in the international market, according to John Elbon, the company's vice president and general manager of commercial crew programs.

The CST-100 is designed to launch up to seven space fliers on several different rockets, opening the possibility of selling flights to other governments.

"There's an interesting opportunity that we're just starting to flesh out," Elbon said Wednesday. "The spacecraft that we're designing is rocket-agnostic. It would be possible to sell this like a commercial airplane to countries who perhaps have a launch vehicle who would like to launch it in their own country."

{...}

Pad and ascent abort tests are scheduled for 2013 and 2014, followed by an automated unmanned orbital demo mission. A two-person team of Boeing test pilots will ride the ship to orbit on the first manned mission in 2015, Elbon said.
 

GoForPDI

Good ol' Max Peck
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
285
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Glasgow
Would open up manned flight to many countries, I would be a great thing to happen!
 

orb

O-F Administrator,
News Reporter
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
14,020
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Space News: Boeing Nears Rocket Selection for Initial CST-100 Flights:
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Boeing expects to select a single vehicle next month from an unspecified number of rockets in the running to launch unmanned flight tests and early crewed missions of the seven-person CST-100 space taxi it is developing with financial backing from NASA.

{...}

Boeing has designed the 13-metric-ton CST-100 to be capable of launching to the international space station and other low Earth orbit destinations atop a variety of rockets, including United Launch Alliance’s Delta 4 and Atlas 5, SpaceX's Falcon 9, the European Ariane 5 and the proposed Liberty rocket that would be built by Minneapolis-based ATK and Les Mureaux, France-based Astrium Space Transportation.

{...}

Elbon said the procurement has been underway since late January and that Boeing is on track to choose the rocket in May. During an April 13 news conference here he said the initial rocket selection would be used during the CST-100’s test phase to nail down performance parameters.

{...}

Ultimately, Elbon said, Boeing expects to conduct a pad abort test of the CST-100 crew escape system in 2013 followed by two unmanned flight tests the following year. A final flight demo, slated for late 2014, would send two Boeing test pilots to low Earth orbit, he said.

{...}
 

Orbinaut Pete

ISSU Project Manager
News Reporter
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
4,264
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Boeing Selects Atlas V Rocket for Initial Commercial Crew Launches

Reliable United Launch Alliance rocket to launch in 2015

HOUSTON, Aug. 4, 2011 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced it has selected the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket to launch the Boeing Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft from Florida’s Space Coast.

"This selection marks a major step forward in Boeing's efforts to provide NASA with a proven launch capability as part of our complete commercial crew transportation service,” said John Elbon, vice president and program manager of Commercial Crew Programs and the source selection official for Boeing.

If NASA selects Boeing for a development contract with sufficient funding, ULA will provide launch services for an autonomous orbital flight, a transonic autonomous abort test launch, and a crewed launch, all in 2015.

The addition of ULA to the Boeing team enables the start of detailed design work on an integrated system for launch and spacecraft operations. The team also will refine launch abort operations that will meet NASA's stringent human rating requirements to safely transport crew and cargo to the International Space Station. Boeing conducted a best-value competition among U.S. launch service providers prior to selecting the Atlas V.

"We are pleased Boeing selected the Atlas V rocket and believe it is the right vehicle to help usher in the new commercial era in human spaceflight,” said George Sowers, ULA vice president of Business Development. “The Atlas V is a cost-effective, reliable vehicle and ULA stands ready to support Boeing's commercial human spaceflight program."

Boeing plans to begin wind tunnel testing of the Atlas V and the CST-100 this year and will use the results to complete a preliminary design review of the integrated system in 2012 under the second round of its Commercial Crew Development Space Act Agreement with NASA.

The Commercial Crew program consists of developing, manufacturing, testing and evaluating, and demonstrating the CST-100 spacecraft, launch vehicle and ground/mission operations – all part of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Transportation System – for NASA’s new Commercial Crew human spaceflight program that will provide access to the International Space Station.

The CST-100 is a reusable, capsule-shaped spacecraft that includes a crew module and a service module. It relies on proven, affordable materials and subsystem technologies that can transport up to seven people, or a combination of people and cargo.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 64,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.
 

Capt_hensley

Captain, USS Pabilli
Donator
Joined
Oct 20, 2010
Messages
841
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Alamogordo
Website
www.h-10-k.com
Thanks Pete, we can tie it down to the Atlas V, now were need to figure out what model. Probably a 5 meter diameter with 2 Gem 60s or 502 as they call it.
 

DaveS

Addon Developer
Addon Developer
Donator
Beta Tester
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
9,429
Reaction score
680
Points
203
Thanks Pete, we can tie it down to the Atlas V, now were need to figure out what model. Probably a 5 meter diameter with 2 Gem 60s or 502 as they call it.
The Atlas V does not use GEMs(Graphite Epoxy Motors). The GEMs are made by ATK, while the Atlas V SRBs are made by Aerojet.
 

Tacolev

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
211
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I think there's a possibility it'll just be a straight-up Atlas 402. Remember there's a marginal mass boost from having no payload fairing.
 

ky

Director of Manned Spaceflight
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
1,409
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Boynton Beach
Yes.But I'll hopefully be able to model the rocket in scketchup once I know for sur which type of the Atlas V their using.
 

Capt_hensley

Captain, USS Pabilli
Donator
Joined
Oct 20, 2010
Messages
841
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Alamogordo
Website
www.h-10-k.com
Yes.But I'll hopefully be able to model the rocket in scketchup once I know for sur which type of the Atlas V their using.

Velcro has a great set of ULAs Delta and Atlas rockets, all models, and Duh I was thinking of Delta. A 402 sounds fine, thanks for reminding me about the mass boost. Duh again. "Caffeine, I need Caffeine" Harley Stone, Split Second
 
Top