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First CST-100 Starliner hull completed for Structural Test Article.

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft completed a major preflight milestone last week when the two halves of its Structural Test Article were mated together for the first time May 2. 

Although the Structural Test Article is not intended for flight in space, it follows the spacecraft’s fabrication, assembly and testing methods. This ensures that engineers are ready to assembly and integrate spaceworthy vehicles.

Ever since the STA began fabrication, the upper and lower halves of the pressure vessel were separated. Now that they’ve been mated, work will not begin on outfitting the capsule with its systems. Once assembly is complete, the STA will undergo testing regimes that space-bound Starliners will experience.

Starliners are assembled and tested in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility, the former Orbiter Processing Facility 3 from the Space Shuttle Program.

1st Boeing Starliner Hull Assembled as 1st Crew Flight Delays to 2018

The first Boeing CST-100 Starliner hull is bolted together by technicians working in Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on May 2 for the Structural Test Article pressure vessel. Credit: NASA

As completion nears for the prototype of Boeing’s first Starliner astronaut taxi, the firm announced a slip into 2018 for the blastoff date of the first…

Boeing’s Starliner Test Article Comes Together as First Crewed Flight Slips to 2018

The first CST-100 Starliner hull stands in one piece inside Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after engineers bolted together the upper and lower domes May 2 as completion nears of the Structural Test Article. Photo Credit: Boeing Boeing’s first CST-100 Starliner has come together in an old space shuttle orbiter processing hangar at NASA’s…

Construction of Crew Access Tower Starts at Atlas V Pad for Boeing ‘Starliner’ Taxi to ISS

The first tier of seven tiers for Crew Access Tower is moved from its construction yard to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sept 9, 2015. The tower will provide access at the pad for astronauts and ground support teams to the Boeing CST-100 Starliner launching atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Dmitrios Gerondidakis

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Boeing unveils Starliner as official name of CST-100 spacecraft.

In a ceremony Friday at Kennedy Space Center’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (formerly Orbiter Processing Facility 3), Boeing announced the official name of their crew-capable spacecraft formerly known as the CST-100.

Dubbed Starliner, the name builds on Boeing’s previous vehicle naming heritage, which includes Stratoliner and Dreamliner. Starliner will transport crews of four astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew program.

Additionally, Boeing also dubbed the C3PF’s renovations complete at the ceremony, which now officially ready to build Starliner spacecrafts.

Technicians are currently building the CST-100 Starliner’s Structural Test Article within the facility. Flight articles will begin to be assembled in 2016 ahead of their inaugural flights in 2017.

Boeing’s New CST-100 “Starliner” Processing Facility Taking Shape at KSC

Boeing’s CST-100 “Starliner” spacecraft is depicted here climbing to orbit. The company will begin flying astronauts to and from the International Space Station for NASA as soon as 2017. Image Credit: Boeing NASA and Boeing unveiled the company’s new spacecraft processing facility at a grand opening event at Kennedy Space Center in Florida this afternoon, revealing the new name of their CST-100…