Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew capsule. Photo: Boeing.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully completed an Atlas 5 Launch Segment Design Certification Review (DCR) recently in preparation for the launch of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) from U.S. soil in Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. ULA’s Atlas 5 DCR supported the Boeing ISS DCR that was held with NASA at Kennedy Space Center in early December.

Launch vehicle production is currently on track for an uncrewed August Orbital Flight Test (OFT). The OFT booster for the uncrewed flight is in final assembly at ULA’s factory in Decatur, Alabama, and the OFT Centaur upper stage has completed pressure testing. Other hardware such as the launch vehicle adapter and aeroskirt production are on schedule to support test articles and flight.

“Hardware and software final qualification tests are underway, as well as a major integrated test series, including structural loads. Future tests will involve launch vehicle hardware, such as jettison tests, acoustic tests, and, finally, a pad abort test in White Sands, New Mexico,” said Barb Egan, ULA Commercial Crew program manager.