The crew of Boeing’s Starliner will attempt to launch its first crewed mission to space Wednesday morning with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board. The Starliner capsule is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:52 a.m. ET. If successful, the two are expected to return to Earth in approximately 10 days.
NASA and Boeing confirmed Monday that the capsule, rocket and ground support equipment are ready for launch after two previously aborted attempts. In May, there was a problem with an oxygen relief valve that delayed and subsequently led to the cancellation of the first launch attempt. Then, on June 1, the United Launch Alliance crew encountered another rocket problem, which halted the second attempt.
Once the Starliner launches, a capsule will separate with Wilmore and Williams inside and use its own engines to take the pair to the International Space Station. Wilmore and Williams helped develop the capsule.
The two astronauts will stay at the space station to test certification of the Starliner spacecraft – potentially putting Boeing in competition with SpaceX. Boeing has a $4.3 billion contract with NASA as part of its Commercial Crew Program.
Starliner made an unmanned test flight for the first time in 2019, but a software glitch prevented it from reaching the space station. A second test flight in 2022 also addressed issues. A year later, Boeing delayed the crewed launch several times and then canceled the launch after finding more problems with the crew capsule.
Today’s launch is significant because it could open doors for more private airlines to collaborate with NASA.
Photo credit: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams wave as they leave operations for a trip to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 on Wednesday in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
