NASA and Boeing have completed a joint Crew Flight Test checkpoint review ahead of the first flight of Starliner with astronauts to the International Space Station. The mission teams reviewed open work ahead of launch, planned no earlier than July 21, including emerging issues that need a path to closure prior to a decision to fuel the spacecraft in June. As part of the ongoing effort, 95% of the Crew Flight Test certification products are complete. Teams are conducting final spacecraft closeouts and preparing for upcoming hardware milestones, including spacecraft fueling, spacecraft rollout to the launch site, and integration with the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. However, engineers are working to evaluate any elevated risk from a specific type of tape used on the spacecraft to protect wires from chaffing. NASA and Boeing are evaluating this material and the system’s overall wiring protection to confirm it is acceptable for crewed flight. Those efforts are ongoing and are expected to complete before Boeing begins fueling operations on the spacecraft. Starliner spacecraft fueling is expected to begin as early as mid-June, and there is some operational flexibility in that timeline that can be used if needed.
