NASA and Boeing had to cancel a launch attempt to the International Space Station on Monday due to a last-minute issue with a valve on the spacecraft’s rocket.
Boeing’s Starliner capsule was set to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:34 p.m. ET for its first crewed test flight. NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams were on board the capsule, ready for liftoff, when the launch was aborted about two hours before the scheduled time.
A new launch date has not yet been announced.
The launch was called off on the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, which was supposed to take the Starliner capsule into orbit, after an issue with the oxygen valve was detected.
The crewed flight of the Starliner is a crucial final test before Boeing can start regular trips to and from the space station approved by NASA.
Both NASA and Boeing emphasized safety as a top priority for the spacecraft’s maiden crewed flight.
This launch cancellation adds to the challenges Boeing has faced with delays and budget overruns on the Starliner program, trailing SpaceX, which has been conducting manned missions to the space station since 2020.
Joel Kowsky/NASA (via AFP) – Getty Images
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and Boeing’s Starliner were developed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to assist private companies in creating new spacecraft for astronauts to reach low-Earth orbit, following the retirement of the Space Shuttle over a decade ago.
Starliner’s first unmanned flight in 2019 was marred by a software glitch, causing the test to be aborted before attempting to dock with the ISS. Subsequent attempts were delayed due to fuel valve issues, and it wasn’t until 2022 that Boeing managed a successful unmanned flight to the space station.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
