Thread by @ChrisG_NSF

Getting ready for @NASA's & @BoeingSpace's teleconference for #Starliner updates now that the Independent Review Team has finished their report. Thread:

Doug Levarro (NASA): Going to use today to "close out what we've been doing." <----- That better not mean no more updates, @NASA

Doug: 60 corrective actions identified. Will take several months to work through those.

Doug: "High Visibility Close Call" has been declared to capture "organizational root cause" for both Boeing and NASA "to truly learn from this event and fix it and make sure it doesn't happen again. This will begin later today.

On to Kathy Lueders (NASA): Appreciate thoroughness. Insight was specific with key recommendations. Always good to have fresh eyes on the issue. Taking concrete steps to improve before next mission.

Kathy: Adding dedicated NASA software person, adding more software support, beefing up oversight of Boeing's integration activities. Will continue to welcome feedback of additional review teams over next few months.

Kathy: Making sure we have the right software to conduct our next mission.

Now Jim Chilton (Boeing): The Independent Review Team has to "make decisions on the fly ... in how to get data."

Jim: "this has been nothing but a positive exercise for us."

Jim: "Tracking about 61 items. We asked the Independent Review Team to stay on board, be on call. Possible as we take all findings from IRT that we'll need to keep eyes on the plan and people like IRT can make sure it works for us."

Jim: "Whatever testing we have to do [to start flying safely again], we'll do.

John Mulholland (Boeing): The 61 action items are both organizational and technical. First item is an audit on testing of software and processes and identified 49 gaps in testing.

Jim: Teams will take those 49 gaps and go test to see if there are more errors in code.

Jim: Making sure we have documents that specify what we need to have to test properly, from hardware to people to reviewers.

Jim: "Confident in ability to return to flight safely when our team and NASA are ready."

On to question and answer session.

Q: Given all these issues with what was supposed to an operational spacecraft, how can NASA and Boeing convince public SLS won't have problems.
A: Took the actions have an built learning package for Boeing and NASA programs. Making sure whole space ecosystem can learn.

The telcon is now just busy signal.

And now a dead line........

Um... and now we're back....

Q: How many issues is Boeing tracking? Do recs include a reflight of OFT?

And then DEAD AIR . Technical difficulties.

OK, we're back to SLS (assume we'll get back to @thesheetztweetz's question on recs and issues being tracked.

Per SLS, Doug: We have to share the lessons from this with everyone, not just Boeing/SLS. Making sure we don't have similar issues with SLS and Orion.

Q: How many specific issues is Boeing tracking from OFT? Do recs include a reflight of OFT or will next flight test be crewed?
A: John: IRT addressed three issues (all known). Doug: 3 tech issues, but those uncover process issues. Don't know full number of individual issues. ...

(cont'd) Doug: "Will we require a second OFT? Quite frankly, we don't know. Boeing now has to come back to NASA with plan, then a schedule, then specs of when and how. And then NASA will evaluate plan, our own inspections, then be in position of knowing if we need another test.

Doug: No known issue to @SpaceX schedule from this.

Q: How would a potential second OFT be handled given firm fixed price contract?
A: (Doug): Not appropriate to talk about that now.

Q: When will Boeing deliver a schedule for NASA to review on another OFT being needed or not?
A: We don't know when a reflight of OFT decision would happen because the timeline isn't know. Kathy then says the timeline if "by the end of the month" for BOeing timeline delivery.

More questions about OFT reflight. Doug: Will be looking at if Boeing really goes and looks at all the software and want to validate independently. Will look at all other 61 findings. But at end of day, q is "do we have confidence to fly with crew."

Doug saying it's a "complicated" decision on whether OFT reflight is required.

Great question from @cbs_spacenews about Starliner not meeting contractual requirement to dock to ISS t prove they're ready to carry crew. Doug: Well, that wasn't a government requirement, but Boeing wanted it "so we'll hold you to the promise."

Doug (@NASA) now saying that @BoeingSpace can now come back after not meeting contract agreement to dock and propose other ways to verify docking ability without actually docking -- then talks about risk of Starliner not being able to undock, "getting stuck" on Station.

Kathy now adding that "what we're really looking at now is how to get to crew flight."

Jim Chilton (@BoeingSpace): "This isn't hard from my end. Boeing stands ready to refly OFT."

Q: Will NASA make the full list of 61 action items public.
A: Doug: I don't know. We haven't had that conversation. Need to talk to Boeing.