Boeing Starliner’s first astronaut launch delayed after new issue arises

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Boeing is troubleshooting a new issue with its Starliner spacecraft before the company tries again to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station

The first attempt to launch NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams last week ended in a scrub after a faulty liquid oxygen valve on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket required replacing. ULA replaced the valve over the weekend, and the rocket is in the hangar at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida

With the delay, the astronauts returned to Houston to spend time with their families before another possible launch attempt on May 21 at 4:43 p.m. ET. 

Boeing is working on an issue with a small helium leak detected on the spacecraft’s service module. Starliner’s propulsion system uses helium.

“NASA and Boeing are developing spacecraft testing and operational solutions to address the issue,” Boeing said. “As a part of the testing, Boeing will bring the propulsion system up to flight pressurization just as it does prior to launch, and then allow the helium system to vent naturally to validate existing data and strengthen flight rationale.”

If the issue is resolved, the astronauts will return to Kennedy Space Center in the coming days.

Crew Flight Test marks final milestone

The liftoff will begin the final test for Boeing’s Starliner, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT), to certify the spacecraft to fly NASA astronauts to and from the space station. 

In 2014, NASA awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX to fly astronauts to the ISS with commercial spacecraft. SpaceX began flying NASA astronauts to the space station in 2020.

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Starliner was set to launch Williams and Wilmore last summer, but Boeing managers revealed new issues with the spacecraft after further examining data from Starliner’s second uncrewed orbital flight test in May 2022

When it happens, the astronauts will spend about a week on the International Space Station testing Starliner’s systems before returning to Earth. 

A successful CFT will culminate in a soft landing of the Starliner spacecraft in the Southwest desert.