Boeing Conducts Pad Abort Testing for Starliner Spacecraft

Boeing has completed pad abort testing of its CST-100 Starliner capsule intended for the commercial transport of crew to low-Earth orbit.

The two-minute test took place at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and assessed the vehicle’s capacity to conduct emergency abort functions after being launched from a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V rocket, Boeing said Monday.

Starliner fired four launch abort engines and several thrusters as part of the test, which saw the crew module land 95 seconds after the firing of abort engines and separation from the service module.

“We’ve tested all these systems individually, so we know the propulsion system fires at the intended levels, and we know the parachutes can support the vehicle and safely slow it down, but the real test is making sure those systems can perform together,” said Alicia Evans, pad abort test flight director at Boeing.

Boeing is slated to conduct further system assessments on the Starliner crew module upon its recovery within 24 hours.

The recent abort test comes after Boeing’s prior testing of Starliner’s propulsion components in May.