The takeoff may be attempted “no later than 6:16 p.m. on Friday, May 17” to allow for repairsAccording to a statement issued by the North American Space Agency, Tuesday.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was scheduled to launch today, Monday, for the first time with astronauts on board, heading to the International Space Station, joining other manned spacecraft.
About two hours before the scheduled launch, while the two North American astronauts were settling into the capsule, liftoff was aborted: a fault was discovered in a valve on the Atlas V rocket, which was expected to put the Starliner into orbit. .
NASA said that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams will remain isolated in the meantime.
Boeing is counting on this latest test mission, which would allow it to prove that the spacecraft is safe before the start of regular missions to the International Space Station, that is, four years after the launch of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
For NASA, which ordered this vehicle 10 years ago, the risks are also high: having a second vehicle, in addition to the SpaceX one, to transport astronauts would facilitate the response in “different scenarios,” such as in cases of emergencies or problems. One of the devices.
