NASA has announced a fresh launch date for Boeing’s Starliner crewed mission following multiple delays. The inaugural flight is now slated for Saturday, June 1, at 12:25 p.m. ET, with backup dates scheduled for June 2, June 5, and June 6, as detailed in a recent blog post by the space agency.
Mission managers from NASA, @BoeingSpace, and @ULALaunch continue to evaluate a path forward toward launching #Starliner‘s Crew Flight Test.
The teams are now working toward a launch opportunity at 12:25pm ET on Saturday, June 1, with additional opportunities on Sunday, June 2,… pic.twitter.com/nyV7UgAi3Y
Advertisement— NASA (@NASA) May 23, 2024
The journey to this launch date has been fraught with setbacks. Initially targeted for May 6, the crewed flight faced postponements due to an issue with an oxygen valve on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket. Despite rescheduling to May 25, a helium leak in the service module prompted further delays.
Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, emphasized the thorough analysis and testing conducted by NASA, Boeing, and ULA teams to address these challenges. The meticulous approach underscores the complexity of the issues encountered.
The Starliner, designed for a seven-person crew, will carry NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams on this inaugural flight. Both astronauts are actively preparing for the mission, undergoing simulations and remaining in quarantine at the Johnson Space Center.
Upon launch, the crew will embark on a roughly 24-hour journey to the International Space Station (ISS), during which they will conduct various flight tests. Once aboard the ISS, they will spend about a week evaluating the spacecraft and its systems before returning to Earth using parachutes and an airbag system.
A media teleconference scheduled for Friday, May 24, will provide further details on the upcoming launch opportunity and ongoing preparations. Success in this mission could pave the way for Starliner’s certification for routine ISS missions, complementing NASA’s existing reliance on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
MEDIA: Join us tomorrow, May 24, at 11am ET (1500 UTC) as NASA, @BoeingSpace and @ULALaunch officials provide an update as teams work toward a #Starliner launch opportunity on June 1. Details on how to participate: https://t.co/OEKp3KGAtO pic.twitter.com/aNWmHfNiQx
— NASA (@NASA) May 23, 2024
These endeavors are part of NASA’s broader Commercial Crew Program, aiming to leverage American spacecraft for crewed missions to the ISS and beyond, aligning with NASA’s ambitions for lunar and Martian exploration.
