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In a milestone a decade in the making, Boeing's Starliner mission successfully launched its first crewed flight test on Wednesday. The highly anticipated voyage lifted off atop an Atlas V rocket at 10:52 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are aboard the Starliner capsule, journeying to the International Space Station (ISS).
Weather conditions were 90% favorable for the launch, with only cumulus clouds posing a potential concern, according to the US Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron. This mission, known as the Crew Flight Test, marks a significant achievement for Boeing as it aims to rival SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule and enhance the United States' options for transporting astronauts to the ISS under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson highlighted the historic nature of the flight, noting it as only the sixth inaugural journey of a crewed spacecraft in US history. "This is another milestone in the extraordinary history of NASA", Nelson said. "Congratulations to the entire team for their perseverance through numerous challenges".
The astronauts will spend just over 24 hours traveling to the space station, docking around 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday. Williams and Wilmore will then spend eight days on the ISS, joining seven astronauts and cosmonauts already aboard. A critical pump needed to fix the space station’s urine processor assembly is among the crucial cargo on the Starliner.
The mission will also test various aspects of Starliner’s capabilities, including thruster performance, spacesuit functionality within the capsule, and manual piloting. Additionally, Starliner’s “safe haven” capability, designed to offer shelter in emergencies, will be evaluated.
Upon completion, the astronauts will return using the same Starliner capsule, landing at designated locations in the southwestern United States.
NASA officials have set the earliest possible landing date for June 14, emphasizing that the return will depend on optimal conditions and successful accomplishment of test objectives.
The mission is a crucial step toward NASA certifying Boeing's Starliner for routine operations to the ISS, providing the US with two reliable spacecraft for space station missions, a key goal of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. As Nelson stated, "Expanding our fleet of spacecraft expands our reach to the stars".
