Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft’s launch, which was intended to transport NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore to the International Space Station (ISS), has been delayed due to a valve malfunction in the upper stage of the rocket responsible for propelling it into space.
Tom Heter III, the director in charge of the launch at United Launch Alliance, made the announcement to postpone the launch approximately two hours prior to the scheduled lift off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States.
On Monday night, preparations were underway for the take-off of the Boeing Starliner at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The spacecraft was positioned atop the Atlas V rocket, provided by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
However, the take-off was postponed due to a valve issue in the second stage of the Atlas rocket. This delay was announced during a live NASA webcast. The timeframe for resolving the issue remains uncertain, but launch windows are available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights.
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were safely assisted out of the capsule by technicians and transported to the launch complex. It’s not uncommon for space missions to be postponed last-minute due to minor malfunctions or unusual sensor readings.
The experienced NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who have collectively spent over 500 days in space across two previous missions each to the space station, were chosen to crew the Starliner for its inaugural manned flight. Wilmore served as the designated commander, with Williams as the pilot.
Following a 26-hour journey, the capsule was slated to reach the space station and dock at the orbiting research facility approximately 400 km above Earth. Upon arrival, they were to be welcomed by the resident ISS crew, consisting of four US astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts.
Williams and Wilmore were planned to spend roughly a week at the space station before returning to Earth aboard the Starliner. Their descent would be assisted by parachutes and airbags, marking the first employment of such a landing system in crewed NASA missions. Pending the success of this flight test, Starliner has been scheduled for at least six additional crewed missions to the space station on behalf of NASA.
