NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have announced yet another delay in the launch of the Boeing Crew Flight Test to allow additional time for comprehensive spacecraft closeout processes and “flight rationale assessments.” The launch, which aims to send NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS), is now targeted for no earlier than 3:09 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 25.
The decision for Starliner’s third launch delay comes as teams work to address a minor helium leak discovered in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s service module. The leak, traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster, was identified during pressure testing on May 15.
The spacecraft had been returned to ULA’s Verticle Integration Facility following a scrub on the original launch date of May 6th due to a faulty valve. ULA replaced the valve and set a new date of May 13th, which was then changed to May 21st upon further evaluation of the helium leak. Officials previously reported that the link was a known issue on the original launch date of May 6th, and that the leak alone would not have scrubbed the launch.
This latest round of testing revealed that while the leak is stable and poses no risk at its current level during flight, further assessments and operational procedures are necessary to ensure optimal performance and redundancy of the thruster system, according to Boeing.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and the International Space Station Program will utilize the additional time to review data and procedures before proceeding with the flight countdown. The Starliner and the ULA Atlas V rocket remain secured in the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The teams are dedicated to ensuring a safe and successful flight test.
Astronauts Wilmore and Williams, who will be the first to launch aboard Starliner to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, remain quarantined in Houston as prelaunch operations continue. They will travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida closer to the rescheduled launch date. Once launched, the duo will spend approximately one week at the ISS before returning to Earth, where they will land using parachutes and airbags in the southwestern United States.
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN
Following the successful completion of this mission, NASA will begin the final certification process for Starliner and its systems for future crewed rotation missions to the ISS. This milestone is a crucial step in advancing NASA’s efforts to maintain a continuous human presence on the space station through partnerships with commercial providers.
