MARCH 2016 | 19 ABOVE BEYOND allow not only Boeing’s Starliner to dock with the station but other commercial crew vehicles that bring astronauts to and from the orbital laboratory. Boeing was NASA’s prime contractor for the station and built all of the U.S. modules, as well as several other major station elements, including the trusses. Boeing also has a NASA contract to provide engineering support for the station through 2020. Occupied by a revolving six-person crew while serving as a microgravity research lab since 2000, the space station continues down a familiar pathway, circling Earth 16 times per day. At the same time, it has ventured into decidedly new territory, withstanding the rigors of its harsh environment and handling systems decay better than anticipated. NASA is committed to using the space station through 2024 and has asked Boeing to verify, through analytical study, that the station can operate safely through 2028. The space station was designed to last 15 years, matching the life span of its predecessor, Russia’s Mir Space Station. It might double that forecast, if not survive even longer, according to Boeing engineers. “Right now, we don’t see any weak links that in 2030 would make us have to stop flying,” said Dave McCann, Boeing senior manager of space station structures and flight-control mechanisms. “We don’t have anything on the radar screen that worries us.” Nearly as long as a football field
Frontiers March 2016 Issue
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