1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:05,040 Today we are on the hunt for a missing spacecraft. The suspect in question 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:10,480 has made away with four point two billion dollars in NASA funding with the promise 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:15,800 to develop a spacecraft that will transport astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,399 Almost a decade later, and one of the biggest aerospace companies on the 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:27,760 planet has failed to deliver a crew capable spacecraft. So where is the Boeing 6 00:00:27,879 --> 00:00:33,439 Starliner? This is the space race. NASA has been at the forefront of 7 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:38,479 space exploration since the Cold War, and there is no more iconic NASA vehicle 8 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,479 than the Space Shuttle. It may have been dangerous, it may have been 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:47,560 preposterously expensive, It may have even been somewhat of a failure in many regards, 10 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:53,479 but the Shuttle was easily the most prolific and recognizable spacecraft of its day, 11 00:00:53,799 --> 00:00:59,759 becoming a symbol of human space exploration over three decades of operation. Most 12 00:00:59,799 --> 00:01:03,840 of these missions involved transporting astronauts to the International Space Station, which was first 13 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:10,599 launched in nineteen ninety eight and has been continuously inhabited by people since the year 14 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:15,920 two thousand. But in two thousand and eleven, NASA decided to finally retire 15 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:22,200 the Space Shuttle program, and that left American astronauts with no other option than 16 00:01:22,239 --> 00:01:26,359 the Russian so used rocket for flying to and from the ISS. And while 17 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,640 the United States and Russia are partners in the International Space Station project, NASA 18 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:37,599 would prefer to not be dependent on Russia for all its launch needs. It 19 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,280 doesn't help that Russia is a major political rival to the United States. With 20 00:01:42,359 --> 00:01:47,400 this in mind, NASA introduced the Commercial Crew Program in two thousand and eleven. 21 00:01:47,799 --> 00:01:52,640 The idea was to partner with American private companies to deliver astronauts to and 22 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,920 from the International Space Station. NASA would award contracts and the companies would compete 23 00:01:57,959 --> 00:02:02,000 with each other to develop the most innervative, cost effective, and safe solutions 24 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:07,719 to get crew to the International Space Station. Fast forward to twenty fourteen, 25 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:13,879 and after a lengthy bidding process, NASA awarded Boeing a four point two billion 26 00:02:13,879 --> 00:02:21,840 dollar contract to develop the CST one hundred Starliner spacecraft and carry out six missions 27 00:02:21,879 --> 00:02:27,680 to the International Space Station. Elon Musk's SpaceX also won a contract worth two 28 00:02:27,719 --> 00:02:31,879 point six billion dollars to develop the Crew Dragon spacecraft and conduct six missions of 29 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:37,599 their own with two private companies in the mix. The assumption was that a 30 00:02:37,719 --> 00:02:43,599 healthy competition would result in a better product delivered quicker and more efficiently than if 31 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,759 NASA developed it themselves, and having two companies on board prevented a monopoly. 32 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,400 Unfortunately, what should have been an exciting domestic space race ended up being far 33 00:02:53,479 --> 00:02:59,800 more one sided than NASA would have predicted. SpaceX launched its first crude mission 34 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,840 in twenty twenty, and Boeing is not set to try their own until at 35 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,199 least April twenty twenty four. So let's dig a little into what went wrong 36 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:14,759 with Boeing. They were to conduct the first test flight in twenty sixteen, 37 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,759 but issues in development forced an eight month delay. The aircraft was too heavy 38 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,280 and the team was working to reduce mass and address some issues with aerodynamic drag, 39 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:29,639 pushing the test launch date to twenty seventeen. Twenty seventeen came and went 40 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,439 with no launch in sight and a new date of July twenty eighteen, but 41 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:39,120 once again another issue reared its head. During testing, Boeing discovered a hypergolic 42 00:03:39,159 --> 00:03:45,280 propellant leak. This is the self combusting fuel mixture used in the vehicle's maneuvering 43 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:50,400 thrusters. And it is incredibly toxic. Any kind of fuel leak is bad, 44 00:03:50,439 --> 00:03:53,840 but hyperglic fuel leaks in a crude capsule are worse. So back to 45 00:03:53,879 --> 00:03:59,680 the factory it went for further development and a new launch date of November twenty 46 00:03:59,759 --> 00:04:03,159 nine, nineteen. The first flight of the CST one hundred star Liner capsule 47 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:09,800 was a pad abort test, which is a practical demonstration of the craft's abort 48 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:15,680 system engines. Starliner accelerated away from the launch pad successfully, but when landing, 49 00:04:15,759 --> 00:04:18,279 one of the three parachutes failed to deploy. That being said, the 50 00:04:18,319 --> 00:04:24,800 capsule did land within safety parameters, so even though it wasn't a complete success, 51 00:04:24,879 --> 00:04:28,759 it was not a complete failure either. A month later, in December 52 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,759 twenty nineteen, Boeing felt strong enough to attempt their first test flight all the 53 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:38,240 way to the International Space Station, known as an orbital flight test. This 54 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,680 is an unmanned flight that launches from Earth, gets to the International Space Station, 55 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,519 docks at the station, and then successfully and safely returns to Earth. 56 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,519 But and we are starting to see a pattern here, there were problems. 57 00:04:51,639 --> 00:04:58,800 Once again. The Starliner's internal timer was off by eleven hours initiating an orbital 58 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:03,199 insertion burn much earlier than needed. This put the spacecraft in the incorrect trajectory 59 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:09,439 and prevented it from reaching the International Space Station entirely. It eventually had to 60 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,199 land in New Mexico within two days of flying. The second major error on 61 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,959 this test flight involved thrusters that angle the craft to avoid damaging heat shields that 62 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:24,519 protect the craft during re entry. Both of these were primarily software issues, 63 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:30,279 but it diminished a lot of the already waning confidence in Boeing's capability to deliver 64 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,720 on this project. It also led to an in depth review between the company 65 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:40,879 and NASA, identifying eighty areas that needed to be updated and corrected. It 66 00:05:40,959 --> 00:05:45,399 then took Boeing two and a half years to fix these errors and a few 67 00:05:45,439 --> 00:05:48,560 other problems, as they ironed out every potential issue they could think of. 68 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:54,120 But that's the nature of problems. They always lurk around the corner, and 69 00:05:54,199 --> 00:05:58,959 Boeing were once again reacquainted with them. In April twenty twenty one, the 70 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,959 redesign and up dated Starliner was at the launch site ready for its second orbital 71 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:09,199 flight test. During final testing, though an issue was discovered with thirteen engine 72 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,680 valves in the craft, and exposure to the salty air at Cape Canaveral, 73 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,399 Florida led to corrosion, and with tolerances so tight, it was simply unsafe 74 00:06:16,399 --> 00:06:20,959 to launch. Boeing tried to remedy the problem on site, but eventually decided 75 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:27,519 canceling the test flight was the safer option. A year later, in May 76 00:06:27,639 --> 00:06:31,839 twenty twenty two, Boeing did manage another orbital test flight. The spacecraft launched 77 00:06:31,879 --> 00:06:38,079 and returned to Earth successfully after docking at the International Space Station, but even 78 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,839 here it wasn't smooth sailing as some systems didn't work as expected. Two orbital 79 00:06:43,879 --> 00:06:48,839 maneuvering and altitude control thrusters also known as OMAC thrusters, failed during the orbital 80 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:54,160 insertion phase of the flight, but the spacecraft was able to compensate with the 81 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:59,600 remaining OMAC thrusters. A couple of reaction control system thrusters used at the docking 82 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,279 all failed due to low chamber pressure, but with a safe flight it was 83 00:07:03,439 --> 00:07:09,519 deemed a success. The next step would be a final test with crew on 84 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:15,040 board. Boeing had initially planned the crew test flight for December twenty twenty two. 85 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,040 Unfortunately, Boeing's dance with delays returned and the launch first got pushed to 86 00:07:19,079 --> 00:07:24,360 February twenty twenty three, then April twenty twenty three, and further to July 87 00:07:24,519 --> 00:07:30,160 twenty twenty three, with another final update in April twenty twenty four. So 88 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:35,800 why the latest delay, Well, the parachute problem persists and if humans are 89 00:07:35,839 --> 00:07:42,199 going to be traveling in it, Boeing is taking absolutely no chances. Engineers 90 00:07:42,199 --> 00:07:45,920 have found that the soft links used on the suspension lines of Starliner's three main 91 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,680 parachutes cannot handle the load of the craft if one of them fails, and 92 00:07:49,759 --> 00:07:55,000 being able to land with just two out of the three parachutes is a safety 93 00:07:55,040 --> 00:08:00,800 requirement for NASA. Boeing engineers have now created a more robust soft link and 94 00:08:00,839 --> 00:08:05,199 redesigned the parachute system, and it's set to be tested sometime in November twenty 95 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:11,279 twenty three. But then again another problem surfaced more recently wiring. The P 96 00:08:11,399 --> 00:08:16,240 two to one to three glass fabric tape covering the electrical wires in the capsule 97 00:08:16,519 --> 00:08:20,600 was found to be a fire hazard. While it is commonly used in the 98 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:24,920 aerospace industry to wrap wires to prevent chafing in certain conditions and at different oxygen 99 00:08:24,959 --> 00:08:30,920 concentrations, it can be flammable, and Boeing would really prefer if the star 100 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,360 Liner did not self immolate, especially with crew on board. So as Boeing 101 00:08:35,399 --> 00:08:39,600 tries to solve these they have wisely refrained from an exact launch date. But 102 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,600 if things go to plan, the star Liner could be transporting crew sometime in 103 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:48,799 twenty twenty four. But while Boeing struggles, the SpaceX Crew Dragon has been 104 00:08:48,879 --> 00:08:54,080 running away with virtually no competition. Sure, they had a few Falcon nine 105 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,519 rockets explode during testing, but their August twenty twenty three flight marks the seventh 106 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:03,519 successful crew transportation to the International Space Station, with the first happening way back 107 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,000 in twenty twenty. Their next mission is scheduled for early twenty twenty four, 108 00:09:07,279 --> 00:09:13,120 and they've seen their initial six mission contract with NASA jump to fourteen missions, 109 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:18,679 bringing their total contract value to almost five billion dollars. In addition to that, 110 00:09:18,759 --> 00:09:22,759 the cost for seats on Crew Dragon are almost half of the star Liner. 111 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,399 While SpaceX charges fifty five million dollars per astronaut, Boeing comes in at 112 00:09:28,519 --> 00:09:33,600 ninety million dollars as per NASA documents. Boeing did release a statement refuting that 113 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,200 cost, stating their capsule could carry five astronauts as opposed to the standard four, 114 00:09:37,399 --> 00:09:41,519 which means it would cost less. But until the company actually manages to 115 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:46,639 send a crew into orbit, we'll just have to wait and see. Speaking 116 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:52,000 of costs, NASA contracting these two Boeing and SpaceX instead of developing it themselves 117 00:09:52,279 --> 00:09:58,720 saves the agency about twenty to thirty billion dollars. So while NASA benefits from 118 00:09:58,799 --> 00:10:01,360 lower costs, BOW and SpaceX get to have someone else put the bill for 119 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:07,360 development. And this is technology that they still hold intellectual property rights to, 120 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,440 allowing them to use it for other commercial projects and profit from. In addition 121 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:16,399 to the cost benefits, this has also pushed the United States to once again 122 00:10:16,759 --> 00:10:20,519 become the world leader in space. After twenty eleven, the United States had 123 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:26,840 zero percent of the global commercial launch market. Today, thanks to SpaceX alone, 124 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:31,440 they have seventy percent, and this has resulted in NASA being a huge 125 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,679 contributor to the SpaceX revenue to the tune of millions every year. This is 126 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:41,240 significant and might be an indicator as to why Boeing continues to pursue the Starliner 127 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:46,559 project, even though spaceflight only accounts for a small portion of the company revenue. 128 00:10:46,639 --> 00:10:50,720 After the company lost billions due to the grounding of its seven thirty seven 129 00:10:50,799 --> 00:10:54,639 maxplane and air travel demand plummeting during the COVID pandemic, the star Liner project 130 00:10:54,759 --> 00:11:00,320 might just be a revenue source worth pursuing. That being said, there's no 131 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,919 taking away that it is a project that is bleeding Boeing a lot of money 132 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,279 right now. Since the contract was awarded, the company has already racked up 133 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,639 close to one point five billion in loss, and every delay costs it more. 134 00:11:15,159 --> 00:11:18,679 Also, the contracts are just for transporting crew to the International Space Station, 135 00:11:20,039 --> 00:11:24,720 which will only be operational until twenty thirty, so there's a timeframe on 136 00:11:24,799 --> 00:11:30,080 that. Boeing, though, is committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations. Mark 137 00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:35,480 Nappy, Boeing Starliner Vice President and program manager, reiterated they were still committed 138 00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:39,039 to six crewed missions and one crewde test flight to the International Space Station. 139 00:11:39,519 --> 00:11:45,399 But more importantly, does Boeing see a future for the star Liner project beyond 140 00:11:45,519 --> 00:11:48,919 the NASA contract? Well, Without the contract, further development can get very 141 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:54,080 costly. In an interview, and Boeing Vice President of Exploration Systems, John 142 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:58,320 Shannon was asked if the company planned to continue the program long term, he 143 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:01,840 gave an ambiguous answer, saying it was a great question and he wished he 144 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:07,200 had an answer to it. This uncertainty indicates Boeing is yet to determine if 145 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,519 the entire project is even still worth it, and with the lead SpaceX has 146 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,919 on them, it might be harder to catch up, even if they do 147 00:12:16,039 --> 00:12:20,159 get everything up and running smoothly for commercial application beyond NASA. On the other 148 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:26,120 hand, there are alternatives that will very soon become viable. Sierra Space didn't 149 00:12:26,159 --> 00:12:30,240 manage to get the initial NASA contract, but their Dreamchaser spacecraft has been in 150 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:35,559 development for two decades and is pretty much ready. Right alongside is Blue Origins 151 00:12:35,639 --> 00:12:41,039 NW Glenn Spacecraft commercial space flights, and their demand will continue increasing as time 152 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:46,159 progresses. Right now, SpaceX has the competitive advantage, and any other player 153 00:12:46,159 --> 00:12:48,440 that wants a piece of the pie will have to work very hard to catch 154 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,000 up. Sierras Space in Blue Origin look ready to take on the challenge, 155 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,200 but will Boeing finally join the fray as well. Only time will tell.