Boeing Starliner crewed flight launched into orbit
- Crewed Starliner test flight launched successfully after delays
- Company was monitoring helium leak in capsule that scrubbed previous attempt
- Two astronauts are on board destined for the International Space Station
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(NewsNation) — After multiple delays, the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule launched successfully Wednesday with two astronauts on board headed for the International Space Station.
The capsule took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket with NASA commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams on board. The mission marks the first time a woman has flown a test flight on an orbital spacecraft.
The Starliner has faced several delays, after an anomaly with a pressure relief valve scrubbed a May launch and an issue with a ground computer put a stop to a Saturday attempt.
Boeing had also discovered a small helium leak in the service module that holds the propulsion system, but after deliberations NASA and Boeing officials decided to go ahead with Wednesday’s launch without fixing the leak, which they said would be closely monitoring.
Part of the decision to move ahead without a fix is that repairing it would have required taking apart Starliner and putting it back together.
The Starliner is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, with Boeing and SpaceX being the two main vendors. SpaceX has already launched a number of crewed missions to the ISS, with Boeing lagging about four years behind in developing its own spacecraft.
The launch was the first Atlas 5 launch with astronauts on board and the first for the Atlas family of rockets in 61 years.
Wilmore and Williams are both experienced astronauts and former test pilots who are set to spend at least a week at the ISS.
The Starliner is set to dock at the ISS on Thursday.
