Starliner

In 2011, soon after the last flight of the Space Shuttle program, NASA launched a new program called Commercial Crew. Boeing threw its hat in the ring with a bid, along with many other companies. Boeing and SpaceX each won a large share of the award, while several other companies won smaller awards. If I recall correctly, Blue Origin was one of the smaller companies that won a piece of the pie.

I just returned to work after my 6-week medical leave for my kidney cancer surgery, when I supported a meeting where the former Shuttle Program Manager pitched the idea of “CST-100” to the Houston Boeing Leadership. Soon after that, the CCDEV (Commercial Crew Development) meetings began, with a large audience attending in conference rooms at several Boeing sites and on Webex. During that first meeting, there was a lot of noise due to open microphones. I got a call to dial in to see what I could do to help manage the microphones remotely. I got to that meeting, and it was chaos with noise and other distractions. I used the online tools I had to help clear everything up. There were over 200 phone lines dialed in, so it was a battle getting the noise under control. I did get most of it cleared up, but not all of it. After that meeting, I was on the distribution list to manage it and keep the comms open and clear.

That meeting evolved several times, but the biggest jump is when they wanted to use VTC (Video Tele-Conference). My job evolved into not only keeping the comms open and clear, but also operating cameras at several of the sites from my desk. That meeting also evolved into being called PMR, or Program Management Review. I looked forward to helping the Engineers and Management do their jobs without having to worry about whether there were open mics where someone at a desk was eating potato chips over the comms.

At that first meeting, I was wearing a Corvette t-shirt under my collared shirt that said ‘It is nice to know America still builds Rocketships’. That shirt has a picture of two Corvettes with a Shuttle Launch in the background. Since I had that shirt on in that first meeting, I thought I would wear it for every PMR I supported, sort of as good luck, not just for me but for the Program.

As part of the contract with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, the contract award winners had to fly a demonstration flight without a crew and perform a set of maneuvers before flying another test flight with Astronauts. We were neck and neck with SpaceX in development for many years. In fact, there was a goal each of us was after. When the last Shuttle departed Station, Commander Chris Ferguson left an American Flag on board the ISS so that the first Commercial Crew Vehicle would claim that flag for the company that brought the first Astronauts aboard. Chris was hired by Boeing to help develop the Starliner and was slated to be the first Astronaut to fly the spacecraft. He wanted to get that flag back for Boeing. Well, things did not work out that way, and SpaceX now owns that flag.

Last week, Boeing launched the second Orbital Flight Test, which docked successfully with the Space Station last night. During the first OFT Flight, Boeing distributed shirts and other memorabilia to employees to celebrate Starliner's first flight. That flight did not meet all the objectives, so NASA mandated a second test flight. With the launch this past week, everything was low-key at work when it came to celebrating. We were more of a wait-and-see approach to celebrating after each milestone. On that day, instead of wearing my OFT shirt, I wore my t-shirt under my collared shirt, which I have worn at every PMR, sort of as a good-luck Starliner thing.

When Starliner lands next week, we will celebrate. I will have that shirt on again. I don’t believe in luck, but in the tenacity of engineering by the good folks I work with at Boeing. But it doesn’t hurt to wear the old, worn-out shirt…. You know for luck.