Attempted launch for Boeing's Starliner spacecraft halted right before takeoff
The chief executive of ULA, Tory Bruno, spoke to reporters that the rocket fuel is being released to identify the issue behind the computer-activated launch abort. If the problem can be fixed, possible launch times might be at 12:03 local time on Sunday, and also Wednesday and Thursday.
The launch abort happened when astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had been in the capsule for quite a while. It took some time before they exited the capsule again.
In May, a launch attempt was called off thanks to troubles with a pressure valve of the Atlas-V rocket. At that moment, the two astronauts were already strapped into their seats. Later on, a tiny helium leak was spotted on the capsule, which wasn't necessary to repair according to NASA.
Boeing announced that the helium gas came from the Service Module of the Starliner, the section containing the control and navigation equipment. This gas doesn't burn or poison, as it's used in the engines of spaceships.
NASA intends to frequently use the Starliner together with the Dragon capsule of SpaceX for conveying astronauts to the space station. The Dragon capsule by Musk's company has been shipping NASA astronauts to the ISS for several years.
However, the Starliner project has faced numerous setbacks in recent years. The unmanned test flight in 2019 ended in failure due to a software error, which caused the capsule to return to Earth without making it to the ISS.
A launch was postponed in 2021 due to blockages in valves. In May 2022, the Starliner made it to the ISS for the first time without a crew. The crewed flight has been postponed numerous times since then, including right now since May 7.
Read also:
The issue causing the halt of Boeing's Starliner mission's start attempt was identified to be related to rocket fuel by ULA's CEO Tory Bruno, suggesting potential launch times on Sunday at 12:03 local time, and also on Wednesday and Thursday.
Despite the aborted launch, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams at the time. They exited the capsule following the launch abort.
This Sunday's planned launch time is for the Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from Florida's Cape Canaveral, where NASA and Boeing are based.
In the past, setbacks occurred for the Starliner project, including a failure during an unmanned test flight in 2019 due to software errors, which prevented it from reaching the ISS.
In May 2022, Boeing's Starliner became the first uncrewed spacecraft to reach the ISS. However, the crewed launch was postponed numerous times since then, with one such postponement happening right on May 7.
If the issues are effectively resolved, Boeing's Starliner will join SpaceX's Dragon capsule for regular NASA missions to the ISS, as intended by NASA.
