The “Rosies" of Boeing's Starliner

As we close out 2019, and reflect on the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first steps on the moon, NASA and Boeing are taking another giant leap for human space exploration. 

We’re set to launch our new CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. While this mission won’t carry people, it will carry a special crewmember.

“Rosie the Rocketeer” is our anthropometric test device. She’ll be in the Starliner commander’s seat, wearing the Boeing blue spacesuit and equipped with hundreds of sensors to gather the data we need for next year’s crewed flight. But she’s much more than a device. She’s a symbol of everyone who has shown grit and determination while working tirelessly to ensure Starliner can safely transport astronauts to and from the space station.

“Rosie” is also flying for everyone on the Starliner team, women and men, who accepted the challenge of human space flight and said, “we can do it!” People such as Melanie Weber, a leader of the launch pad team and one of the last people to touch Starliner before it goes to space, and Christopher Ferguson, who’ll be in the commander’s seat next year for Starliner’s first crewed flight. We’re thrilled to be giving Chris his fourth trip to space. His incredible NASA career was marked by three space shuttle missions, including the final one in 2011.   

“Rosie” is also our way of honoring every “Rosie the Riveter” who changed America, from the iconic women of World War II to Starliner astronauts Nicole Mann, who’ll be the first woman to pilot the first crewed mission of a new spacecraft, and Suni Williams, who is set to be the first woman to command a new operational spacecraft on its first long-duration mission to the station.

Finally, “Rosie” is also a nod to Boeing’s history of championing women. When our company started building planes more than a century ago, the wings were stitched from linen cloth. Our first seamstress was named, it’s true, Rosie.

We really have come full circle! Go Rosie! And Go Starliner!