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Stephen Colbert - Starliner’s First Honorary Astronaut Commander! Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show, recently took a tour of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center while filming a segment for his show. The comedy legend tried on one of Boeing’s new space suits designed specifically for Starliner astronauts while being interviewed by Boeing’s Crew and Mission Operations director Chris Fergerson. Colbert is an avid space fan, frequently promoting the space program on his shows. In 2009, one of the space station’s new treadmills was named after Colbert, who initially won the popular vote in a NASA contest to name the station’s Node 3. Below is the portion of The Late Show featuring Boeing, Fergerson, and Starliner.

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.