What Caused NASA and Boeing to Call Off Their First Crewed Launch Again?
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The much-anticipated first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has been postponed once again, marking another significant setback for the aerospace giant. NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams were slated to embark on this historic mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. However, with just 3 minutes and 50 seconds left on the countdown clock, the launch was called off.
This latest delay adds to the series of challenges Boeing has faced with the Starliner program, which has already endured years of delays and budget overruns. The immediate cause for the delay was an issue with the ground support equipment. Initially, officials planned to attempt another launch the following day, but further assessments led to the postponement of the flight.
NASA is expected to provide more updates, including potential new launch dates, with possibilities as early as Wednesday and Thursday. The Starliner’s crewed test flight is crucial for Boeing to demonstrate that the spacecraft can safely transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). A successful mission would enable NASA to consider Boeing’s Starliner as an alternative to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule for routine trips to the ISS.
The decision to abort the launch was triggered by an automatic hold from the ground launch sequencer, a computer responsible for controlling rocket operations in the final moments before liftoff. Dillon Rice, a systems test engineer and launch conductor at United Launch Alliance (ULA), explained that the hold occurs when the computer cannot verify a command response. ULA, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, manufactures the Atlas V rocket that propels the Starliner into orbit.
Rice stated that the exact cause of the hold is still unknown. Additionally, two hours before the scheduled launch, another issue was identified with ground instrumentation used to manage propellant levels in the Atlas V rocket’s upper stage. This problem was resolved by engineers, but it remains uncertain if it was related to the subsequent launch hold.
Despite these issues, Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, assured that the Starliner spacecraft performed “extremely well” during the countdown. Nappi emphasized that in the field of human spaceflight, everything must function flawlessly.
Sunita Williams’ mother, Bonnie Pandya, expressed that her daughter was in high spirits despite the delay. “She’s very upbeat. She’s so happy about going,” Pandya said in an interview.
This is not the first time the Starliner launch has been postponed. A previous attempt on May 6 was halted due to a valve issue detected in the Atlas V rocket, and a separate helium leak was later discovered in the Starliner’s propulsion system. Although the valve was replaced, the helium leak was not repaired before the latest scheduled flight as it was deemed non-threatening to the crew or spacecraft.
Boeing and SpaceX both developed spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, initiated over a decade ago to facilitate private sector development of space vehicles for low-Earth orbit missions following the retirement of NASA’s space shuttles. However, Boeing has lagged behind SpaceX, which has been conducting crewed missions to the ISS for NASA since 2020.
The Starliner has faced numerous issues, including software problems during its first uncrewed flight in 2019, which led to a shortened mission. Subsequent attempts were delayed due to various technical issues. It was only in 2022 that Boeing successfully completed an uncrewed flight to and from the ISS.
Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, reiterated the importance of having multiple spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to the ISS. He remains optimistic about Boeing’s progress. “We’re really close to being able ready to fly this mission and then go through our certification, and we’re excited to go embark upon that,” Stich said. “We’ll fly when we’re ready. And it should be soon.”
As the space community awaits further updates, the delay underscores the complexities and challenges of human spaceflight and the meticulous care required to ensure safety and success.
This story was originally featured on NBC News
