First manned launch of Boeing Starliner solved by valve problem

Boeing’s first astronaut launch was canceled on Monday due to a valve problem, further delaying the company’s historic liftoff.

The company’s attempt to send its Starline capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) was stopped by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) about “a note on a liquid oxygen self-regulating solenoid valve on the Centaur upper stage.”

The technical problem delayed Starline’s first crewed test flight with NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams. ULA said the team needs more time to complete the “evaluation” and the next expected launch date could be as early as Friday.

The original takeoff was scheduled for 10:30 pm on Monday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Completing the Starline test flight would bring Boeing one step closer to having regular flights to and from the ISS. But the pause represents another obstacle for the company, which aims to compete with billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has dominated private space flights for some time.

Both companies, along with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, were chosen for commercial spaceflight in 2014.

Since then, SpaceX has launched nine crewed missions, while Boeing has completed just two unmanned flights so far. For the development of the capsules, NASA gave Boeing more than $4 billion for development and SpaceX received $2.6 billion.

The Starliner will be placed atop the Atlas V rocket, utilizing the rocket in a manned flight for the first time since the 1960s.

The issue puts the spotlight back on Boeing, which has come under heavy scrutiny this year over jet production safety concerns following a mid-air explosion in January.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story