People stopped traveling too. This year the record for US domestic flight passengers has been broken and reset multiple times.
Lot of my colleagues are doing bucket list vacations because they don't give a fuck about saving anymore. They're convinced the world is ending so everyone millennial and down shouldn't bother saving.
And I can't say I disagree with that outlook. But I'm still maxing my 401k to be safe.
This is also potentially the last mission for both of them. I'd be surprised if they're upset. Astronauts are a different breed.
They're more likely to be having a good time than not. They knew from the start the mission plan included an option for a longer stay. Sunni also once held the record for ISS mission length for female astronauts.
Plenty. Cygnus capsule that docked a few days ago was a scheduled resupply too.
It's only an issue in that the logic isn't currently turned on. The capsule can do it just fine. It just wasn't the point of this mission.
NASA update earlier today said Boeing can turn the ability on if needed. Will just need time for update and then testing to make sure it's all good to go.
We're back on pace for where we would have been pre-pandemic.
People chilling out on spending and/or paying down their debt during the pandemic was the weird part.
I'll never forget watching the live feed almost every night for weeks. Then Simon reporting from the front during the Russian invasion for Vice.
tl;dl
Starliner thrusters all passed 3 hot fire simulations of a return mission. Probably fine to fly home.
Ground testing was able to match what happened to the thrusters on approach. NASA now more confident the theory around fuel flow restrictions was correct.
Catch is they'll never know for sure because the thrusters in space can't be taken apart to examine. And they won't make it back to Earth because they're on a portion that detaches before re-entry.
The rumors around using Dragon for a return mission are true. But in that NASA has had time to think up multiple scenarios that weren't ever possible prior for return missions. There are now around 4-5 options thought up. NASA might go on to test some of those ideas out.
ISS has so many ships docked, with more planned, that a decision on Starliner is happening soon. Regardless of if people are aboard, it needs to leave ISS by September if I was following along correctly.
That's overblown per the latest NASA update a couple hours ago.
While waiting on engine test results part of the mission team has been brainstorming all kinds of new return contingency ideas that were never an option in the past. The SpaceX idea is one of 4 or 5 mentioned. It's just the one the media ran with.
The main announcement today though was that all thrusters passed 3 hot fire simulations of a return mission. And that Starliner is likely fine to come home. The issues during approach seem to be understood and worked out.
Here is the latest update from today: https://www.youtube.com/live/wLNeIx7AwVE?feature=shared
Some interesting info. Lot more than the news will ever cover.
The leaks were examined and found to benon-critical. They were even controllable. No helium has leaked since docking with ISS and there is plenty to get home.
The problem has been the crew capsule and the space propulsion module are 2 different pieces. The capsule comes home. The propulsion module gets ditched in space. NASA and Boeing have been taking their time to review the propulsion module (leaks and all) while docked at ISS because they can't bring it home.
Nothing much has changed from all that. NASA is in control of the mission. It's all proceeding at their pace. I wouldn't trust any spin Boeing makes. But watching the NASA mission reports shows there isn't much reason for concern.
Because they're a loser and keep getting rightfully banned.
News from yesterday media isn't talking about is NASA confirmed Starliner is likely fine to fly home. They did 3 hot fire simulations of a return mission. All thrusters passed. Even worked better than during approach. Meaning NASA's theory about what Boeing fucked up seems to have been corrected.
But the media wants clicks. Jumped straight to talking about worst case scenario of our around 5 possible options covered yesterday.