NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were eagerly preparing for their journey to orbit in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft when they were suddenly met with disappointment. The highly anticipated launch was postponed due to a problem in the Atlas V rocket, pushing back the first crewed flight of the Starliner.
The launch, which had been scheduled for this week, is now rescheduled for at least Friday as engineers work to address the issue with the oxygen tank in the rocket’s second stage. The valve problem was detected just before liftoff, leading to the last-minute cancellation of the flight.
United Launch Alliance, the joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin that operates the Atlas V rocket, made the decision not to change the status of the rocket while the astronauts were present, ultimately resulting in the cancellation. Engineers are now determining whether the valve needs to be replaced before the rocket is deemed flight-ready.
Boeing has faced its fair share of challenges and delays in the development of the Starliner spacecraft, with unexpected charges exceeding $1.4 billion due to the setbacks. The company’s troubles continue after a difficult year in 2021, which included the 737 Max 9 panel incident early in the year.
In the meantime, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon remains the only spacecraft transporting astronauts to the International Space Station from the United States. With the Starliner’s launch on hold, all eyes are on Boeing as they strive to overcome these obstacles and successfully send their crewed spacecraft to orbit.
