NASA, Boeing opt to fly leaky thruster as-is for first crewed Starliner CST-100 mission
NASA and Boeing have set another date – June 1 – for the first crewed launch of the Starliner CST-100, a capsule more noted for its reluctance to leave the ground than for its commercial crew capability.
[…]
As it is, NASA and Boeing officials said in a May 24 briefing that the leak, caused by a seal in a flange, was an isolated problem – none of the other thrusters have the same issue – and even if the seal wasn’t there at all, the team was happy to launch to spacecraft as is and manage the leak accordingly.
Worryingly, while investigating the Starliner’s propulsion system, the team discovered a potential vulnerability: a de-orbit burn might not be possible in the event of multiple thruster failures. To handle this admittedly very unlikely failure scenario, a new de-orbit procedure has been developed.
[…]
Well, okay then.
The death of Vulcan: Study reveals planet is actually an astronomical illusion caused by stellar activity
https://phys.org/news/2024-05-death-vulcan-reveals-planet-astronomical.amp
Honestly I kind of hope that South Korea beats NASA back to the moon using something that gets the job done in a single rocket launch if only to underscore why the Artemis program is such an overly complicated, expensive and dangerous boondoggle.
… again?
Hey Jupiter! I see Uranus!
[Venus Might Still Have Active Volcanoes, as Recent Lava Flows Suggest ‘Ongoing’ Eruptions | Smithsonian (smithsonianmag.com)]
My mother would love a plate/dish set with this pattern.
