NASA has entrusted astronaut Robert Hines with the task of making a short video presentation of the interior of the Starliner spacecraft, which has been docked with the International Space Station since May 20.
That’s it: the Starliner capsule is finally docked with the International Space Station! Perhaps you have been following the latest developments of the arrival of the Boeing craft, just before the weekend. The device, which left on the night of May 18 to 19 (Paris time), arrived 24 hours later safely, at an altitude of nearly 400 kilometers.
Now that it’s in place, the capsule has been put on hold. ” Starliner entered a planned rest phase while docked with the space station, meaning its systems were powered down as they would be during a long-duration mission said Boeing. in a post on Twitter May 22.
During the next five to ten days, the astronauts on board the ISS will be able to get to know the capsule, which in the long term must be used to transport them and bring them back between Earth and the station. For this first successful flight to the ISS, the craft was uninhabited. The next trial will host a training crew. Then comes the first operational mission.
The interior of the Starliner capsule on video
Once the hatch was opened, a few hours after the arrival of Starliner, the crew took the liberty of shooting a short video allowing them to discover the interior of the vehicle. The guided tour was led by NASA astronaut Robert Hines, who notably showed Rosie up close, seated in the captain’s seat.
Rosie is a dummy similar to those that are put in cars during a crash test. It gives an idea of the constraints that would be exerted on a real astronaut during the trip to the ISS. In this case, Rosie is loaded with sensors to inform Boeing and NASA of what is happening in the capsule, in anticipation of the first manned flight, later in 2022.
We also discover next to Rosie a small plush representing Jebediah Kerman. Those who know the Kerbal Space Program video game will see who it is. The plush here had the role of serving as a zero G indicator, seeing it floating in the cabin. It is not uncommon for stuffed animals to be used for this purpose, whether it is a dinosaur, a penguin or other.
Robert Hines’ visit is brief, the astronaut focusing on the generalities of the device – which can switch to a cargo version for freight or be adapted for the transport of people. During a regular mission, the Starliner capsule must be able to take and bring back four people. If below, you can review a longer sequence of the hatch opening.
This first stage of the Starliner mission is a real success for Boeing, which could not afford another failure after its first attempt at the end of 2019. It took almost two and a half years for the American company to get back on track and fix the timer issue as well as a series of weaknesses noted on the failed first try.
After its stay of about a week in space, it will be time to close the hatch of the Starliner, in order to prepare for its return to Earth. A few initial maneuvers will allow the machine to be moved away from the ISS in complete safety, and to prepare for its atmospheric re-entry. The capsule will end its course at the end of a parachute, before ending up on the ground, somewhere in the western United States.
