Boeing’s First Crewed Space Flight Delayed Moments Before Launch for Safety Check, NASA Reports
Boeing’s inaugural crewed space flight faced a last-minute delay due to a safety check prompted by a potential issue with an oxygen relief valve in the Atlas rocket, managed by the United Launch Alliance (ULA). Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were poised inside the Starliner spacecraft, which showed no problems, atop the rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Engineers detected irregular behaviour in the valve just before launch, leading to the decision to abort the countdown.
Currently, the flight team is scrutinising data to assess the valve’s condition. If it has surpassed its operational lifespan, ULA engineers are prepared to replace it within a few days. Boeing indicated that the earliest opportunity for a new launch attempt would be on Friday. Safety remains the top priority for NASA, as emphasised by Administrator Bill Nelson.
Boeing aims to join SpaceX as a provider of crew transportation to and from the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX achieved this milestone in 2020 with its Dragon capsule, ending US reliance on Russian space rockets after nearly a decade.
The Starliner’s journey has been marred by delays since its first uncrewed test flight was slated for 2015 but pushed back to 2019 due to software glitches causing thruster malfunctions. Subsequent attempts in 2021 and 2022 were also delayed, with concerns arising about thruster performance and the craft’s cooling system.
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