Main Engine Cut Off T+283: Starliner, Fram2, VIPER, Blue Moon (with Jeff Foust)
Aug 15, 2024
Jeff Foust, an expert in space news and a writer for Space News, discusses critical updates in the aerospace industry. He dives into the ongoing challenges with NASA's Starliner, including safety concerns and delays, as well as the complexities of the Fram2 mission aimed at polar orbit human spaceflight. Foust also highlights Lockheed Martin's acquisition of Terran Orbital and its financial implications, all while exploring exciting upcoming missions like VIPER and the potential of international collaborations in space exploration.
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NASA's Starliner Safety Culture
- NASA is rigorously testing Starliner safety, applying mechanisms from post-Columbia reforms.
- The lack of consensus shows safety culture is active, with no rush in decision making.
Starliner Communication Issues
- NASA's communication about Starliner mission duration was misleading, framed as an 8-day mission instead of minimum 8 days.
- This guarded messaging around return options caused more public speculation, worsening perception.
New Openness About Return Risks
- Possibility that astronauts won't return on Starliner is openly acknowledged, a new and significant discussion.
- Past narrative glossed over uncertainties and risks, lacking transparency early on.