Boeing’s launch of $1.5b Starliner spacecraft carrying 2 astronauts CALLED OFF moments before takeoff over ‘tech issue’
BOEING’S new $1.5billion Starliner spacecraft has had its launch sensationally called off just moments before take-off.
The inaugural flight was abruptly halted on Saturday despite having the two astronauts ready to go with the mission now postponed for at least 24 hours.
The CST-200 Starliner’s first voyage to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed once again as Boeing claims a “tech issue” has plagued the big day.
Two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore were said to have been strapped into the capsule awaiting liftoff.
But the countdown was dramatically halted with just three minutes and 50 seconds left on the clock.
Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore, 61, is a retired Navy captain who’s clocked some 178 days in space during his life already.
Fellow pilot Suni Williams, 58, a former Naval test pilot also has experience flying over 30 different aircraft.
She has spent a whopping 322 days in space over two missions since her first flight in 2007.
They were due to spend around a week in the ISS.
The launch has previously been delayed over leak checks and rocket repairs.
The first attempt in 2019 failed due to software and engineering glitches despite the craft being unmanned.
A second attempt in 2022 was successful however and led to the expected mission today with two astronauts in the cockpit.
But, on May 6, the countdown was again stopped early at just two hours before launch over a faulty pressure valve on the Atlas upper stage.
It was set to blastoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on top of an Atlas V rocket.
The seemingly doomed craft has been made by United Launch Alliance – a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture.
The postponement was announced during a live NASA webcast.
The next available launch opportunities are on Sunday (June 2) Wednesday (June 5) and Thursday (June 6).
Starliner was created in collaboration with NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme, which is similar to its now-defunct Shuttle programme.
It’s aimed at making space flights commercially available, frequently ferrying people and cargo back and forth from Earth.
“For Nasa service missions to the International Space Station, it will carry up to four Nasa-sponsored crew members and time-critical scientific research,” Boeing said.
With Boeing hoping the spacecraft can eventually transport humans to Mars if it ever gets off the ground.
Aerospace giants Boeing have long been involved in Nasa’s human spacecraft program, receiving more than $4billion to develop and fly the Starliner in 2014.
Boeing is competing with the likes of SpaceX to provide gear for future Nasa missions and has spent nearly $600million fixing engineering setbacks from the past mishaps.
Here we go again...
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Senior Technology and Science Reporter at The Sun
Boeing really hasn’t had much luck with its first crewed space launch but it looks like they may finally have some good news.
The company attempted to send an uncrewed Starliner to the ISS in 2019 but it failed because of a bunch of issues – not to mention disruption caused by the pandemic – and came back to Earth early.
A second uncrewed test went ahead in 2022 just fine but a year later experts uncovered new problems which held up a launch carrying astronauts.
Of course, safety is first so it’s a necessary step.
Experts working on the billion dollar project have attempted to downplay the delay.
“I don’t call it frustrating at all,” Boeing’s program manager Mark Nappi recently told press.
“We would like to have been further along at this time. There’s no doubt about that. But we’re here, and we’re prepared, and we’re ready to fly.”
Space is also costly business, so Boeing – and Nasa – need this mission to succeed.
Development woes cost the firm a whooping $1.5billion in charges, as well as roughly $325million for Nasa in boosts to Boeing’s $4.2billion fixed-price Starliner contract, according to securities filings and contracting data examined by Reuters.
Nasa also needs this to work if it’s to keep up with China which is making huge advances to the Moon and beyond.