Keith’s note: I did CNN this morning talking about the Boeing Starliner launch, SpaceX Starship, and China’s lunar exploration plans (and my reaction to how NASA Administrator Bill Nelson characterizes them). [Audio] I then did live launch coverage on Bloomberg Radio/Youtube, and then I did a quick interview with BBC World Service [Audio]. I also talked again to Deutsche Welle [Audio].

Keith’s note: I just spoke with Scripps News about the upcoming flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station, the problems Boeing has had with the spacecraft, competition with SpaceX, and what is on the horizon (Blue Origin etc.) [Audio part 1] [Audio part 2]

Keith’s 16 May note: The Starliner launch was scrubbed for tonight. There’s apparently an issue with a valve making the wrong noises in the Centaur upper stage. I do not get the feeling that this is a quick fix. Update: new launch date is NET 17 May.

Keith’s note: NASA just gave SpaceX 5 more crew flights to the ISS for a total of 14 contracted flights. Boeing has yet to fly a crew – its first Starliner crew flight has been pushed back again until next year. Other than redundancy, does NASA really need Boeing’s capability at this point?

“NASA and Boeing are targeting an early February 2023 launch for the first CST-100 Starliner flight with astronauts to the International Space Station.”

Boeing And NASA Complete The First Starliner Space Station Flight Test, Boeing “Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft landed at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico at 5:49 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday 25 May. The safe return to Earth brings a close to the successful end-to-end uncrewed orbital flight test that was flown to demonstrate the quality and performance of the transportation system prior to crewed flights. […]

Keith’s update: Starliner docked with the ISS on Friday night. Boeing Starliner Launches To The International Space Station, NASA “Starliner lifted off on NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) at 6:54 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following an orbital insertion burn 31 minutes later, Starliner was on its way for a rendezvous and docking with the space station.” Starliner enters orbit, […]

Keith’s note: According to an official press release issued on 9 May “NASA and Boeing will hold a media teleconference at about 6 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 11”. So when you go to the NASA media page for the beginning of the event around 6:00 pm EDT the official website says “5:30 p.m. – Media briefing for NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2)”. The media event ended at 6:11 […]

Excellent point. Agree completely. — William Harwood (@cbs_spacenews) May 4, 2022

Nearly two months after discovering a problem with its Starliner spacecraft, Boeing is still searching for answers, Washington Post “Several days after Boeing discovered the latest problem with its Starliner spacecraft, it removed the capsule from the rocket and returned it to the factory where engineers have been playing detective, trying to figure out what went wrong. But now, some two months after it first discovered an issue with some […]