[exrook]

More information from Jim Bridenstine's (NASA Administrator) twitter[1]:

Update: #Starliner had a Mission Elapsed Time (MET) anomaly causing the spacecraft to believe that it was in an orbital insertion burn, when it was not. More information at 9am ET:

Because #Starliner believed it was in an orbital insertion burn (or that the burn was complete), the dead bands were reduced and the spacecraft burned more fuel than anticipated to maintain precise control. This precluded @Space_Station rendezvous.

We are getting good burns and are elevating the orbit of the spacecraft.

There will be a press conference on NASA TV[0] at 9:30am ET (29 minutes from now)

Also some speculation from Scott Manley[2][3] that the spacecraft may have fired it's engines 90 degrees from prograde during orbital insertion, based on mission control displays seen during the launch livestream

[0] https://www.nasa.gov/live/ [1] https://twitter.com/JimBridenstine/status/120802259102746215... [2] https://twitter.com/DJSnM [3] https://twitter.com/DJSnM/status/1208006636746330120

[bad_alloc]

Am I understanding this correctly?: A timer error caused the vehicle to use too much fuel? No error from the ULA rocket?

[sq_]

According to space Twitter, yes, that is correct. Atlas and Centaur both performed nominally.

Edit: looks like Tory Bruno (ULA CEO) has confirmed that Atlas and Centaur performed well [0]

[0] https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1208035453850587136

[Symmetry]

ULA remains expensive, slow moving, but very reliable. It seems like they have a healthier engineering culture than Boeing.

[AWildC182]

I know people over there. They are struggling but there's still a solid contingent that gives a shit. To spite some missteps they seem to be doing ok at getting young blood in and maintaining a productive culture.

[phonon]

ULA is a JV between Lockheed and Boeing though?

[fgonzag]

Maybe they have have actual Lockeed Engineers managing the JV, instead of Boeing's Financeers.

[AWildC182]

They have their own separate team, the companies just have stakes in it.

[JshWright]

Yes, but it's pretty solidly firewalled off from both.

[toraobo]

This makes a lot of sense: the Atlas V is exceptionally reliable while the Starliner capsule is on its first flight.

[MS90]

Wouldn't be the first time a timing error has caused a huge failure. A similar error during Desert Storm cause 28 soldiers to be killed.

http://www-users.math.umn.edu/~arnold//disasters/patriot.htm...