In a historic and long-anticipated event, Boeing’s Starliner space capsule has successfully lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking its first crewed mission. The launch, which occurred without a hitch, saw the capsule carrying NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams into orbit approximately twelve minutes after liftoff. The duo is set to spend the next 25 hours catching up to the International Space Station (ISS), with a scheduled docking at around 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday.
This mission, notable for being Starliner’s maiden voyage with humans on board, is a significant milestone for Boeing. The capsule’s commander, Wilmore, and mission pilot, Williams, will rigorously test the spacecraft’s systems, including life support, communication, and manual controls during its approach to the ISS.
The journey to this launch has been fraught with challenges. It is the third attempt to send Starliner into space. The first setback occurred last month due to a malfunctioning valve on the Atlas V rocket’s upper stage Centaur, which prompted Boeing to discover and subsequently fix a helium leak in Starliner’s propulsion system. A subsequent attempt was halted with less than four minutes remaining in the countdown due to a flight computer issue, which was rectified by replacing a power supply. After thorough reviews and repairs, NASA was confident in Boeing’s ability to carry out the mission successfully.
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Boeing’s path to this crewed launch has been markedly slower compared to SpaceX, NASA’s other commercial partner, which has already completed nine missions for NASA and four private flights. An uncrewed Starliner mission in 2019 failed to reach the ISS due to faulty flight computer code, necessitating a re-flight in 2022. Although considered a success, this mission uncovered issues with the capsule’s parachute systems and flammable tape used in cabling, which Boeing subsequently resolved.
Starliner to the stars! ✨
— NASA (@NASA) June 5, 2024
At 10:52am ET, @BoeingSpace #Starliner lifted off on a @ULALaunch Atlas V for the first time with @NASA_Astronauts aboard. This Crew Flight Test aims to certify the spacecraft for routine space travel to and from the @Space_Station. pic.twitter.com/WDQKOrE5B6
#Starliner is on its way to the @Space_Station! After lifting off from Cape Canaveral at 10:52am ET (1452 UTC), @NASA_Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are scheduled to dock with the station at 12:15pm ET (1615 UTC) on Thursday, June 6: https://t.co/rFZ1KcKJzy pic.twitter.com/hfWexQ2QKH
— NASA (@NASA) June 5, 2024
During their week-long stay aboard the ISS, Wilmore and Williams will conduct crucial tests on Starliner to ensure its readiness for operational missions. This includes evaluating the capsule’s life support and communication systems, as well as its ability to dock manually and automatically with the ISS.
Upon the mission’s conclusion, the crew will return to Earth, landing in the southwestern United States under a canopy of parachutes. The data gathered from this flight will be meticulously analyzed by teams at NASA and Boeing, paving the way for the certification of Starliner for regular operational missions.
With the successful launch of Starliner, NASA aims to alternate astronaut flights between Boeing and SpaceX, ensuring a steady cadence of trips to the ISS approximately every six months. This achievement not only marks a significant step forward for Boeing but also solidifies NASA’s commitment to fostering a robust commercial space transportation industry.
As Starliner continues its journey to the ISS, the space community watches with bated breath, hopeful that this successful launch signals the dawn of a new era in human space exploration.
