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Boeing’s Starliner Crewed Mission Delayed Again
Boeing’s highly anticipated first crewed mission of the Starliner capsule, known as Crew Flight Test (CFT), has encountered another delay. Initially planned for a mid-April launch, NASA and Boeing have confirmed a new launch date in early May citing space station scheduling adjustments.
Launch Details
The Crew Flight Test is set to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This mission will carry the Starliner capsule along with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station for a 10-day stay.
Technical Hurdles
The test flight was originally slated for July of the previous year, but faced delays due to technical challenges such as issues with the suspension lines on Starliner’s main parachutes and concerns regarding the flammable tape used in the capsule’s wiring. Despite overcoming these setbacks, the mission has been rescheduled due to ISS traffic constraints.
Boeing has been developing the Starliner capsule under a significant contract with NASA since 2014. The spacecraft has completed two uncrewed test flights, with varying degrees of success. The first test flight in December 2019 encountered several issues and failed to dock with the ISS, while the second attempt in May 2022 was successful.
In comparison, SpaceX, under a similar NASA contract, has conducted eight crewed missions to the ISS, including the recent Crew-8 mission led by Elon Musk’s company. This ongoing partnership highlights the evolving landscape of commercial crewed space missions.
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