VZ_342 Posted September 11, 2024 Posted September 11, 2024 So news articles/videos talk about how the Starliner "hatch" was closed, and then it disconnected from the ISS. Apparently they meant an "internal" hatch, because the external hatch was clearly still open as it maneuvered away from the ISS. When and how did that hatch get closed? I'm just curious, because it caught my eye while watching the live feed...
bfr Posted September 13, 2024 Posted September 13, 2024 On 9/11/2024 at 9:11 PM, VZ_342 said: So news articles/videos talk about how the Starliner "hatch" was closed, and then it disconnected from the ISS. Apparently they meant an "internal" hatch, because the external hatch was clearly still open as it maneuvered away from the ISS. When and how did that hatch get closed? I'm just curious, because it caught my eye while watching the live feed... I presume what you were referring to is the hinged outer cap that protects the docking mechanism (the actual pressure door would be at the cabin end of the docking tunnel). Without knowing how automated the crewless re-entry process is then one assumes it gets closed either by remote command or by the onboard computer. Obviously its mechanically operated otherwise they wouldn't have been able to open it to dock in the first place. The Dragon capsule has a similar thing.
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