This Saturday, June 1, 2024, Boeing will attempt to lift its Starliner capsule from Earth’s gravity with a crew on board towards the International Space Station (ISS).
The aeronautical manufacturer and NASA announced that the Atlas V heavy launch vehicle, on top of which there is a capsule, should take off at 18:25 (Paris time) from Cape Canaveral. If optimal launch conditions are not met, three more firing windows are possible on June 2, 5 and 6.
The astronauts will spend a week on the ISS before returning to Earth. If this mission is successful, the way to the orbital station will be opened for a new private American spacecraft, in addition to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.
Faulty valve
The first launch was supposed to take place on May 6, but it was interrupted about two hours before the planned takeoff, while the astronauts had already taken their seats in the ship. The procedure was interrupted due to a dysfunctional oxygen valve that was observed on the last stage of the Atlas V.
After the cancellation of this launch, a helium leak was also detected on one of the 28 thrusters of the Boeing capsule.
Since then, there have been numerous delays to the launch: first to May 10, then to May 17. The decision was then made to replace the Atlas V valve, again postponing the launch to May 21st, then to the 25th and finally to June 1st.
Ultimately, unlike the launch valve, nothing was done to stop the leak on the Starliner, as it was not considered problematic for the safety of the astronauts on board.
End of voodoo curse for Boeing?
NASA has been waiting a long time to send a crewed Starliner to the International Space Station. After the successful delivery of the cargo in 2022, the dispatch of the crew was expected by the end of the same year.
Earlier, Boeing announced that it would be able to reach the ISS with its Starliner in 2016, but the first test flight took place only in 2019, with failure. Problems are piling up, launches are just delayed. Will the one on June 1st be the right one?
In order to have all the chances on their side, astronauts used to space flights were selected for tomorrow’s mission. Sunita Williams has already been a member of three expeditions on the ISS, and her compatriot Barry Wilmore two, in addition to the mission on the spaceship Atlantis.
The launch will be streamed live on the NASA website.