Venturing into outer space. - Starship "Starliner" set for maiden manned voyage.
The troubled spacecraft "Starliner" is finally ready for its first manned test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) today. Boasting NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams on board, the spacecraft will lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This launch has faced numerous delays, and a late pause can't be entirely ruled out. NASA revealed additional launch possibilities on June 2nd, 5th, and 6th. However, the weather predictions seem favorable for all those dates.
Apart from a brief stay at their Houston, Texas, homes, the astronauts were subjected to quarantine restrictions. Wilmore mowed his lawn, while Williams enjoyed time with her dogs.
The trip spans 25 hours.
NASA head Steve Stich remarked excitedly at a news conference, "I know it took a long time to get here, but now I'm thrilled to be here." Assuming all goes well, the "Starliner" should arrive at the ISS tomorrow, about 25 hours post-launch. Another Russian "Progress" cargo ship laden with goods is anticipated at the ISS hours before the planned "Starliner" launch.
In May 2022, the "Starliner," developed and manufactured by US aviation firm Boeing, underwent its maiden successful uncrewed voyage to the ISS and remained there for four days - a significant test of the spacecraft. Its aim is to ferry astronauts to the ISS as an alternative to the "Crew Dragon" capsule from SpaceX. Nevertheless, the project suffers from a multitude of difficulties.
While SpaceX has been shuttling crews to the ISS since 2020 (with the eighth mission underway), the "Starliner" will need to dock at a different port on the ISS for its planned arrival.
The "Starliner" is a partially reusable vessel consisting of a capsule for the crew and a service module - able to hold up to seven astronauts, but primarily designed for four. In contrast to the "Crew Dragon," it lands on solid ground rather than water.
The "Starliner" is also tasked with transporting a critical component to the ISS: A busted urine pump on the ISS, which aids in converting astronaut urine into potable water, malfunctioned earlier than anticipated, said NASA head Dana Weigel. Thankfully, a backup was located promptly.
To accommodate the 70-kg spare part, two bags had to be extracted from the "Starliner," containing clothing and personal care items belonging to astronauts Williams and Wilmore. There'll be sufficient clothing and personal items on the ISS for their usage.
