Unlocking the Stars: The Future of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Initiative and the CST-100 Starliner
Nasa’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP)
Nasa’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) represents a groundbreaking collaboration aimed at advancing space transportation systems capable of safely ferrying humans to low-Earth orbit, including the International Space Station (ISS).
Boeing’s Role in the Commercial Crew Program
Boeing plays a pivotal role in the development of the Commercial Crew Transportation System (CCTS), which encompasses the Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 Starliner spacecraft along with its launch vehicle and mission operations. The Starliner utilizes cutting-edge materials and subsystem technologies and is designed to be compatible with various expendable rockets, with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V selected for initial test flights and missions.
Investment and Milestones
In September 2014, Boeing received a whopping $4.2 billion from NASA to construct, test, and operate the innovative Starliner. This award includes up to six service missions to the ISS after achieving certification, along with both uncrewed and crewed flight tests that will carry a NASA astronaut to validate system functionalities such as launch, orbital maneuvers, and docking with the ISS.
NASA initiated task orders under Boeing’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract in May and December 2015, marking a historic moment as the first commercial human spaceflight mission endorsed by NASA. With an award in December 2016 for four additional crew missions to the ISS, Boeing is set to enable NASA to redirect its focus towards vital scientific research benefiting life on Earth and future voyages to Mars.
Key Features of the CST-100 Starliner
- Weldless structure
- Tablet technology integration
- Wireless Internet capabilities
- Boeing LED “Sky Lighting” interior design
- Land landing system
- Pusher abort system
- Autonomous operation
- Reusable up to 10 times with a turnaround time of six months
- Capacity to carry four crew members and crucial scientific research for NASA missions to the ISS, while designed to accommodate up to seven passengers or a mix of crew and cargo
Boeing Commercial Crew Program Locations
Houston, Texas, serves as the headquarters for Boeing’s Space Exploration division and the Houston Product Support Center, where the Starliner was conceptualized. Boeing also actively supports NASA’s Johnson Space Center in areas like engineering and advanced research.
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (Florida) are integral to Starliner manufacturing and launching operations. Boeing has modernized the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for efficient Starliner production. Spacecraft launches are conducted at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
Huntsville, Alabama, houses Boeing Exploration Launch Systems, which is pivotal in providing engineering and manufacturing support for both the Starliner and the ISS. This site also focuses on advanced studies and technology development for NASA and the U.S. Army.
Huntington Beach, California, plays a supportive role in the Commercial Crew Program, especially in simulation technologies like abort systems and rendezvous procedures while also contributing to ISS design.
St. Louis, Missouri, has been instrumental in developing a suite of training devices and a cloud-based simulation server to efficiently train Starliner crews and mission controllers for flights involving low-Earth orbit, including planned missions to the ISS.
