| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Starliner spacecraft has happened again within the same organization, Boeing. The incident mentioned in the article is not the first software-related issue faced by Boeing's Starliner program. The first attempt of the test flight in 2019 was cut short due to an issue with the Starliner's onboard clock, causing thrusters to misfire [127596].
(b) The software failure incident related to valve issues on the Starliner spacecraft has also involved multiple organizations. Boeing has been at odds with its subcontractor, Alabama-based Aerojet Rocketdyne, over the root cause of the valve problem. The subcontractor and Boeing have disagreed on the issue, with Boeing attributing it to moisture causing corrosion and binding in the valves [127596]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the development hangups and delays faced by Boeing's Starliner spacecraft program. The article mentions that the spacecraft has been plagued by delays and development hangups, with the original operational target in 2017 being missed. The first test flight in 2019, called OFT-1, was cut short due to an issue with the Starliner's onboard clock, causing thrusters to misfire due to a software error [127596].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the recent valve issues faced by Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The article mentions that when the spacecraft was rolled out to the launch pad in August 2021, key valves were found to be stuck, leading to operational challenges. Engineers had difficulty troubleshooting the issue, and the spacecraft had to be taken back to Boeing's factory for further troubleshooting, indicating operational challenges due to the valve issues [127596]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the thrusters not working as intended on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft during its uncrewed test mission was due to factors originating from within the system. The article mentions that two thrusters failed to work as intended, with the first one firing for a second before shutting down and the second one firing for only about 25 seconds before shutting down as well. The flight control system then took over and activated a third thruster, which fired as intended. Boeing's vice president and program manager of the Starliner program confirmed that the system is designed to be redundant and performed as it was supposed to [127596]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to non-human actions. The failure was due to the thrusters on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft not working as intended during the test mission towards the International Space Station. The thrusters failed to operate correctly, with two thrusters shutting down after firing for a short period, leading to the flight control system activating a third thruster to maintain the spacecraft's trajectory [127596].
(b) The article does not mention any software failure incident related to human actions. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware can be seen in the article where it mentions issues with the thrusters on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft during its uncrewed test mission [127596]. The article describes how two thrusters failed to work as intended during the mission, indicating a hardware-related problem.
(b) The software failure incident related to software can be observed in the same article discussing the previous software issues that plagued the Starliner program. The first test flight in 2019 was cut short due to an issue with the Starliner's onboard clock, causing the thrusters to misfire. Additionally, the article mentions a series of other software problems that had to be addressed over time, indicating software-related challenges in the development of the spacecraft. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident mentioned in the article is non-malicious. The failure was related to the thrusters on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft not working as intended during the uncrewed test mission towards the International Space Station. The issue with the thrusters was not due to any malicious intent but rather technical problems with the spacecraft's systems [127596]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident related to the Starliner spacecraft by Boeing does not directly point to a specific software failure incident caused by poor decisions or accidental decisions. The incident primarily focuses on technical issues with the spacecraft's thrusters and valve systems, as well as delays and development problems faced by Boeing in the Starliner program. Therefore, the specific intent behind the software failure incident in terms of poor decisions or accidental decisions is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article [127596]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of Boeing's Starliner program. The program has faced numerous delays and development hangups since its inception in 2017. The first test flight in 2019, called OFT-1, was cut short due to an issue with the Starliner's onboard clock, causing thrusters to misfire. It took over a year to identify and resolve this software issue, along with other software problems [127596].
Additionally, the recent valve issues with the Starliner spacecraft have been a source of contention between Boeing and its subcontractor, Aerojet Rocketdyne. The root cause of the valve problem, involving moisture causing corrosion and binding, led to the need for a short-term solution involving a purge system. Boeing may have to redesign the valves in the future, potentially causing further delays to the program [127596].
(b) The accidental software failure incident occurred during the recent test mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. After the spacecraft was launched, officials revealed that two thrusters failed to work as intended. The first thruster fired for a second and then shut down, followed by the second thruster firing for only about 25 seconds before shutting down. The flight control system had to kick on a third thruster to ensure the spacecraft stayed on course. Despite these thruster failures, the overall mission was not expected to be impacted [127596]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident mentioned in the article is temporary. The article discusses how during the post-launch briefing, officials revealed that two thrusters on the Starliner spacecraft failed to work as intended. The first thruster fired for a second and then shut down, followed by the second thruster firing for only about 25 seconds before shutting down as well. The flight control system then took over and kicked on a third thruster, which fired as intended. This temporary software failure did not impact the overall mission, as the system was designed to be redundant and performed as it was supposed to [127596]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, other |
(a) crash: The article mentions a software failure incident where the Starliner spacecraft experienced issues with its thrusters during a test mission. Two thrusters failed during the mission, with the first one firing for a second and then shutting down, followed by the second thruster firing for only about 25 seconds before shutting down as well. The flight control system had to take over and kick on a third thruster to continue the mission [127596].
(b) omission: The article does not specifically mention a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s).
(c) timing: The article does not specifically mention a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early.
(d) value: The article does not specifically mention a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The article does not specifically mention a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in this case can be categorized as a glitch or anomaly. The thrusters of the Starliner spacecraft did not work exactly as intended, with two thrusters failing during the mission. The flight control system had to intervene and switch to a third thruster to continue the mission successfully [127596]. |