Two NASA astronauts, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams, were all set for the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, the launch was postponed due to a technical glitch with the rocket. This delay was announced during a live NASA webcast.
The astronauts, who had been strapped into their seats for about an hour, were safely assisted out of the capsule. The issue with the rocket’s valve caused the postponement, but the next available launch windows are on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights.
Boeing’s Starliner aims to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule in ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Despite this setback, Boeing hopes to demonstrate success after facing several challenges, including cost overruns and delays.
Wilmore and Williams, seasoned astronauts, were selected for this mission. They were to practice maneuvering the spacecraft manually en route to the ISS. Once there, they would join the resident crew for about a week before returning to Earth.
This flight test is crucial for Boeing, as NASA aims to have multiple options for transporting astronauts to the ISS. Depending on its outcome, Starliner is scheduled for at least six more missions to the space station.
-Raja Aditya
