NASA and Boeing have made history by launching the first crewed Starliner mission to the International Space Station. This monumental achievement marks a significant milestone in space exploration, as it demonstrates the capabilities of commercial space travel.
The successful launch of the Starliner spacecraft showcases the collaboration between NASA and private companies in advancing human spaceflight. With this mission, Boeing has proven its ability to safely transport astronauts to and from the ISS, paving the way for future missions and potentially opening up new opportunities for commercial space travel.
Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Ted Colbert. "This is a great start. We look forward to getting the astronauts safely to the space station and back home."
Wilmore and Williams are also the first to launch on an Atlas V rocket and are currently experiencing microgravity on their way to the space station. They will conduct a series of flight test objectives, including manually flying Starliner.
Crippled by bad software, Starliner’s initial test flight in 2019 without a crew had to be repeated before NASA would let its astronauts strap in. The 2022 do-over went much better, but parachute problems later cropped up and flammable tape had to be removed from the capsule.
Wednesday’s launch was the third attempt with astronauts since early May, coming after a pair of rocket-related problems, most recently last weekend. A small helium leak in the spacecraft’s propulsion system also caused delays, but managers decided the leak was manageable and not a safety issue.
SpaceX, which has been flying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station on its Crew Dragon capsule since 2020. If this crewed Starliner flight is successful through landing, it could pave the way for Boeing to join SpaceX’s ranks, giving NASA a second option for routine flights to and from the space station.
Both companies developed their spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The initiative began more than a decade ago to support private companies in building new space vehicles to take astronauts to low-Earth orbit, following the retirement of the agency’s space shuttles.
The crew will spend about a week aboard the station with a scheduled landing under a canopy of parachutes in the southwest U.S. Teams at NASA and Boeing will comb through the data from this flight before certifying the vehicle for operational mission. NASA plans to split astronaut flights between Boeing and SpaceX, with trips to the I.S.S. happening about every six months.
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