Boeing’s first Starliner flight with astronauts on board was postponed in the final minutes of the countdown on Saturday, with an automatic hold issued for an unspecified reason. The crew onboard, two NASA astronauts, are safe and will disembark. The launch was targeting a flight to the International Space Station, with backup launch dates scheduled for the following days if needed. NASA and Boeing had previously called off a launch attempt in May due to an issue with the rocket, which was subsequently fixed.
After the May launch attempt was postponed, a small helium leak was detected in the Starliner capsule, originating from the spacecraft’s propulsion system. Despite this, officials determined it was not a safety concern, and subsequent assessments were performed to ensure the spacecraft’s readiness for flight. Boeing has faced significant setbacks and delays with Starliner, resulting in substantial costs for the company and NASA. Starliner has fallen behind SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, with Dragon regularly flying astronauts for NASA since 2020.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are flying on Starliner, with Wilmore serving as commander and Williams as pilot. Both astronauts have flown to space multiple times before joining NASA, with backgrounds as U.S. Navy pilots. The Starliner capsule is launched on ULA’s Atlas V rocket, the 100th launch of the rocket, and is designed to carry up to four NASA astronauts per flight. The spacecraft lands using a parachute and airbag system, with the goal of being reusable for up to 10 missions.
Boeing’s crew flight test aims to certify the Starliner system for carrying astronauts to and from the ISS. If the launch is successful, the capsule will spend approximately 25 hours in space before docking with the ISS. The astronauts will then conduct tests on Starliner during their week-long stay on the ISS before returning to Earth. Boeing is under contract with NASA to fly a total of six operational Starliner missions to the ISS, with Saturday’s crew flight test representing the final major step before receiving NASA certification for regular missions.
With the final minutes of Saturday’s launch attempt being called off, Boeing and NASA will work to identify the cause of the delay and potentially reschedule the launch for the following days. Scrubs and holds are common occurrences in the rocket launch industry, and the safety of the astronauts is the top priority. Despite the setbacks and delays faced by Starliner, Boeing remains committed to achieving NASA certification and conducting regular missions to the International Space Station in the near future.
