May 30th 2024.
Finally, after facing numerous delays, NASA and Boeing have officially given the go-ahead for Starliner's first-ever flight to space with humans on board. This highly-anticipated spacecraft is set to launch on June 1st, and will be carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Indian-origin Sunita Williams to the International Space Station.
The launch is scheduled to take place at 12:25 PM EDT from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, aboard United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. According to a statement released by the company, both NASA and Boeing teams have unanimously approved the plans for the launch, after thoroughly verifying the readiness of all systems, facilities, and teams involved in the mission.
This decision comes after a series of setbacks, including a valve issue on the upper stage of the rocket that caused the mission to be scrubbed just two hours before liftoff on May 7th. Since then, the launch had to be rescheduled for May 10th, 21st, and 25th due to a helium leak. However, the company has also announced backup launch opportunities for June 2nd, 5th, and 6th, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
In the meantime, the two astronauts, Wilmore and Williams, have returned to Kennedy Space Center from Houston on May 28th. They are currently in quarantine at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, and are scheduled to take off on Saturday. Once in orbit, the Crew Flight Test will take the astronauts to the International Space Station for a week-long stay, before bringing them back to Earth in the reusable crew capsule.
This mission is a crucial step towards future NASA missions to low Earth orbit and beyond, as the Starliner spacecraft is designed to carry both astronauts and cargo. With this successful flight, it will pave the way for more groundbreaking missions and advancements in space exploration.
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