{"id":52495,"date":"2020-10-07T14:51:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T18:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-465266"},"modified":"2023-07-26T16:01:01","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T20:01:01","slug":"nasa-boeing-announce-crew-changes-for-starliner-crew-flight-test","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-boeing-announce-crew-changes-for-starliner-crew-flight-test\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA, Boeing Announce Crew Changes for Starliner Crew Flight Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA astronaut Barry \u201cButch\u201d Wilmore, left, and Chris Ferguson\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg 5181w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?resize=2000,1333 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA astronaut Barry \u201cButch\u201d Wilmore, left, and Chris Ferguson, director of Mission Integration and Operations at Boeing, train for the first flight of Boeing\u2019s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which will carry astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program. <strong>Credits: NASA<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Veteran NASA astronaut <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/barry-e-wilmore\">Barry \u201cButch\u201d Wilmore<\/a> will join astronauts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/edward-michael-fincke\">Mike Fincke<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/nicole-a-mann\">Nicole Mann<\/a> for NASA\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test, the inaugural crewed flight of the CST-100 Starliner launching to the International Space Station in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilmore will take the place of Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson on the flight test as part of NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program. Ferguson decided not to fly for personal reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilmore has been training side-by-side with the crew since being named the sole backup for all flight positions in July 2018. He now will shift his focus specifically to the spacecraft commander\u2019s duties in preparation for the flight to the space station. The flight is designed to test the end-to-end capabilities of the new Starliner system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cButch will be able to step in seamlessly, and his previous experience on both space shuttle and space station missions make him a valuable addition to this flight,\u201d said Kathy Lueders, associate administrator of NASA\u2019s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. \u201cChris has been a talented member of the crew for this mission. The NASA and Boeing Commercial Crew teams sincerely appreciate the invaluable work he has completed and he will continue to lead in the development of Starliner, which will help ensure that the Starliner Crew Flight Test will be a success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilmore has spent a total of 178 days in space over the course of two missions. In 2009, he served as the pilot of space shuttle Atlantis on STS-129, helping to deliver 14 tons of spare parts for the space station. In 2014, he returned to the space station via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for a 167-day mission, during which he performed four spacewalks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A native of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Wilmore earned bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, and a master\u2019s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He is a retired captain in the U.S. Navy, with more than 7,800 flight hours and 663 carrier landings in tactical jet aircraft. He was selected as an astronaut in 2000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m grateful to Chris for his exceptional leadership and insight into this very complex and most capable vehicle,\u201d Wilmore said. \u201cHaving had the chance to train alongside and view this outstanding crew as backup has been instrumental in my preparation to assume this position. Stepping down was a difficult decision for Chris, but with his leadership and assistance to this point, this crew is positioned for success. We will move forward in the same professional and dedicated manner that Chris has forged.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ferguson will assume the role of director of Mission Integration and Operations, as well as director of Crew Systems for Boeing\u2019s Commercial Crew Program, where he will focus on ensuring the Starliner spacecraft meets the needs of NASA astronauts. In this role, he will be one of the last people the crew sees before leaving Earth and one of the first they see upon their return, as well as supporting them throughout their training and mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have full confidence in the Starliner vehicle, the men and women building and testing it, and the NASA astronauts who will ultimately fly it,\u201d Ferguson said. \u201cThe Boeing team has taken all lessons from our first uncrewed Orbital Flight Test to heart, and is making Starliner one of the safest new crewed spacecraft ever fielded. I will be here on the ground supporting Butch, Nicole, and Mike while they prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ferguson has been an integral part of the Starliner program since 2011, after retiring from NASA as a three-time space shuttle veteran, including as commander of STS-135, the final space shuttle flight to the space station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy personal thank you to Chris for his leadership. He is putting his family first, which Boeing fully supports,\u201d said Leanne Caret, president and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. \u201cWe are fortunate he will continue to take an active role on the Starliner program and bring his depth and breadth of experience in human spaceflight to the program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The development of a safe, reliable and cost-effective solution for crew transportation services to and from the International Space Station remains a priority for NASA and Boeing, allowing the on-orbit research facility to continue to fulfill its promise as a world-class laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry as companies develop and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems capable of carrying crews to low-Earth orbit and to the space station. Commercial transportation to and from the station will provide expanded utility, additional research time and broader opportunities for discovery on the orbital outpost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program, visit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercialcrew\"><strong>https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercialcrew<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>-end-<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Joshua Finch \/ Stephanie Schierholz<br \/>\nHeadquarters, Washington<br \/>\n202-358-1100<br \/>\njoshua.a.finch@nasa.gov \/ stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov<br \/>\nBrandi Dean \/ Megan Sumner<br \/>\nJohnson Space Center, Houston<br \/>\n281-483-5111<br \/>\nbrandi.k.dean@nasa.gov \/ megan.c.sumner@nasa.gov<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Veteran NASA astronaut Barry \u201cButch\u201d Wilmore will join astronauts Mike Fincke and Nicole Mann for NASA\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test, the inaugural crewed flight of the CST-100 Starliner launching to the International Space Station in 2021. Wilmore will take the place of Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson on the flight test as part of NASA\u2019s Commercial […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":53522,"template":"","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"20-096","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"RELEASE","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[]},"categories":[3191,2801,3219,8369,2656,2735,2861,2862,2867],"news-tags":[12372],"internal-terms":[12725,3915,11518,9508,9505],"coauthors":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA, Boeing Announce Crew Changes for Starliner Crew Flight Test","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-boeing-announce-crew-changes-for-starliner-crew-flight-test\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-boeing-announce-crew-changes-for-starliner-crew-flight-test\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"NASA"}],"creator":["NASA"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Centers & Facilities","NASA Headquarters","Commercial Crew","Commercial Space","Commercial Space Programs","Expedition 63","Humans in Space","International Space Station (ISS)","Johnson Space Center","Kennedy Space Center"],"dateCreated":"2020-10-07T18:51:00Z","datePublished":"2020-10-07T18:51:00Z","dateModified":"2023-07-26T20:01:01Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA, Boeing Announce Crew Changes for Starliner Crew Flight Test\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-boeing-announce-crew-changes-for-starliner-crew-flight-test\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2020-10-07T18:51:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities,NASA Headquarters,Commercial Crew,Commercial Space,Commercial Space Programs,Expedition 63,Humans in Space,International Space Station (ISS),Johnson Space Center,Kennedy Space Center\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"NASA\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":5,"featured_image":{"id":53522,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jsc2018e098146.jpg","title":"jsc2018e098146","alt":"NASA astronaut Barry \u201cButch\u201d Wilmore, left, and Chris Ferguson","caption":"Date: 11-29-18\rLocation: Bldg 5, 117G, PTT-1\rSubject: Commercial Crew Program & Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Chris Ferguson and Butch Wilmore in Manual FMC Flight Control Simulation in Boeing CST 100 PTT \rPhotographer: James Blair"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/52495"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-release"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/52495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":369585,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/52495\/revisions\/369585"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52495"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=52495"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=52495"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=52495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}