Boeing made history on Wednesday by launching astronauts for the first time. The aerospace giant, known for its airplanes, joined SpaceX in providing taxi services for NASA. Two NASA test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, took off in Boeing’s Starliner capsule headed for the International Space Station (ISS). This marks the inaugural flight of the new spacecraft.
The journey to the ISS was estimated to take 25 hours, with the astronauts expected to arrive on Thursday. They will spend a little over a week at the orbiting laboratory before returning to Earth. Starliner is set to touch down in a remote desert area in the western United States on June 14.
Boeing faced delays in launching Starliner due to flaws in the spacecraft. Software issues and parachute problems plagued its initial test flight in 2019, which had to be repeated without a crew. However, the 2022 retest showed improvement.
Nonetheless, challenges persisted, such as the discovery of flammable tape on the capsule.
Wednesday’s launch was the third attempt with astronauts since early May. Various issues, including rocket-related problems and a helium leak in the propulsion system, caused delays. Despite these setbacks, NASA and Boeing deemed the mission manageable and safe.
NASA awarded contracts to both Boeing and SpaceX a decade ago to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. SpaceX successfully launched astronauts in 2020, becoming the first private company to achieve this feat. It has since conducted multiple crewed missions for NASA and private clients.
The liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station marked the 100th launch of an Atlas V rocket by United Launch Alliance. This was the first time astronauts rode an Atlas rocket since John Glenn’s Mercury era over 60 years ago.
Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Dragon capsules are designed to be autonomous and reusable. While en route to the ISS, Wilmore and Williams will occasionally take manual control of Starliner to assess its systems.
If the mission goes smoothly, NASA plans to alternate between SpaceX and Boeing for future taxi flights starting next year. Mike Fincke, the backup pilot for this test flight, will be on board for Starliner’s next trip.
All over, the successful launch of astronauts by Boeing demonstrates significant progress in the commercial space industry and NASA’s efforts to expand human presence in space.
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