NASA Archives

Starliner Ready to Try It Again

By Mark Stone FMN June 2, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

NASA Prepares for Third Attempt to Launch Boeing Crewed Flight Test

The Boeing Starliner sits atop an Atlas V booster minutes after Saturday's launch attempt was scrubbed. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN — The Boeing Starliner sits atop an Atlas V booster minutes after Saturday’s launch attempt was scrubbed. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission teams are gearing up for another Starliner launch attempt, currently scheduled for 10:52 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 5. With a faulty ground equipment power supply repaired, the launch will take place from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission, lasting approximately one week, will see NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft heading to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Starliner Is Going No Place Fast

By Mark Stone FMN June 1, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

The Boeing Starliner sits on the pad on Saturday, June, 1, 2024. The launch was scrubbed for the second time just minutes before liftoff. Photo: Richard Gallagher/FMN

The Boeing Starliner just can’t seem to get off of the pad. The much-publicized second launch attempt of CFT-100 was scrubbed on June 1st when a computer detected an anomaly with less than four minutes left in the countdown. The mission represents Starliner’s first crewed flight test.

Starliner Moves Back To Launch Pad, Is Go For Launch Saturday

By Charles Boyer FMN May 30, 2024Atlas V, Aviation and Space News, Boeing, ISS, NASA, Space News, Starliner, United Launch Alliance

Starliner arriving at the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 on Thursday morning.
Photo: Richard Gallagher, Florida Media Now

After three weeks of analysis and discussion between Boeing, NASA, and United Launch Alliance following the May 6, 2024 scrub, Boeing’s long road to lofting crew aboard Starliner to low-Earth orbit took a step towards launching this morning when it was moved to its launch pad. Liftoff of Atlas V and Starliner is scheduled for 12:25 PM EDT, Saturday, June 1st, from Space Launch Complex 41.

Lightning Touches Off Wildfire In Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Space Center Is Safe (So Far)

By Charles Boyer FMN May 26, 2024Florida News, NASA

Smoke from a wildfire at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge obscures NASA’s iconic VAB facility. Photo: Charles Boyer/FMN

A lightning strike from a severe thunderstorm started a conflagration in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge this afternoon. It is north of Kennedy Space Center, and is currently no threat to property or human endeavor — in other words, the facilities at Kennedy Space Center.

NASA Announces New Starliner Launch Date

By FMN Staff May 22, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

In a media release this evening, NASA announced June 1st at 12:25 PM as the next targeted date for a Starliner launch attempt.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is seen on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, Sunday, May 5, 2024 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Mission managers from NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) continue to evaluate a path forward toward launching the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station. The teams are now working toward a launch opportunity at 12:25 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 1, with additional opportunities on Sunday, June 2, Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.

What Exactly Is The Problem With Starliner?

By Mark Stone FMN May 22, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

Boeing's Starliner remains grounded. Photo: FMN/Mark Stone — Boeing’s Starliner remains grounded. Photo: FMN/Mark Stone

Less than a month ago, Starliner seemed like it was ready to go. With a launch date for the first crewed flight test set for May 6th, NASA officials expressed confidence that Starliner was “go for launch”. Following a Flight Readiness Review held just days before the May 6th launch date, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said he was satisfied that the Readiness Review was thorough, and that Starliner, Atlas V and ISS were prepared properly for the test flight.

Valvetech Urges NASA to Stop Second Starliner Launch Attempt

By Mark Stone FMN May 9, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

This Story Was Updated at 4:38 PM On 5/9/24 to include a response from NASA.

Boeing's Starliner sits atop a ULA Atlas V hours before a scrubbed launch attempt on Monday, May 6, 2024. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN — Boeing’s Starliner sits atop a ULA Atlas V booster hours before a scrubbed launch attempt on Monday, May 6, 2024. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

“As a valued NASA partner and as valve experts, we strongly urge them not to attempt a second launch due to the risk of a disaster occurring on the launchpad”.
Valvetech President Erin Faville – Wednesday March 8th.

Atlas V Valve Issue Scrubs Starliner; Launch Date Now NET May 17

By Charles Boyer FMN May 7, 2024Atlas V, Aviation and Space News, ISS, NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

Atlas V and Starliner sits on Launch Complex 41 Monday night.
Photo: United Launch Alliance

UPDATE: Several sources are now reporting that Starliner will have to be rolled back from the pad with a new launch date NET May 17th.

Cape Canaveral It was all going well until it wasn’t. That’s often the story with launch attempts: tens of thousands of things must work perfectly, perform as planned, and operate normally, and only one thing has to go wrong for the attempt to be called off.

Starliner Calypso Poised To Become NASA’s Second Certified Crew Vehicle Design

By Mark Stone FMN May 3, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

The Crew Access Arm enables the astronauts to board the spacecraft. Photo by United Launch Alliance

NASA’s Commercial Crew program will take a big step forward on Monday, May 6th with the launch of the Boeing Starliner Calypso’s Crewed Flight Test (CFT-100). Scheduled for a 10:34 PM EDT liftoff, Starliner Calypso will carry its first-ever crew to the ISS on an important test flight. (The spacecraft was named in honor of the research vessel Calypso, used by famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau from 1950-1996.)

Axiom Space Tests Lunar EVA Suit At Neutral Buoyancy Lab In Houston

By Charles Boyer FMN April 29, 2024Artemis, Aviation and Space News, Axiom Space, NASA, Space News

Unoccupied AxEMU lunar EVA suit underwater at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas. Date unknown.
Photo: Axiom Space on X.com

Houston, Texas One of the critical tasks for the upcoming Artemis missions is completing new spacesuits for astronauts to wear while on the lunar surface. The suits are critical, as they must protect astronauts from severe temperatures, the moon’s lack of a meaningful atmosphere, and sharp, jagged lunar regolith. In September 2022, NASA awarded Axiom Space a $228.5 million contract to develop the next-generation spacesuit for the Artemis III mission to the moon.

Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Arrive At KSC For First Starliner Mission

By Richard Gallagher FMN April 25, 2024NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

Astronauts arrive for test flight of Boeing Starliner — Astronauts Willmore and William pose for photographs after arriving at the Shuttle Landing Facility in NASA T-38 jet trainer aircraft. Image by Richard P. Gallagher

Kennedy Space Center, FL – Greeted by members of the press, Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the KSC Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) formerly known as the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) aboard a NASA T-38 jet Thursday afternoon. The two NASA astronauts will be aboard the first crewed launch of the new Boeing Starliner crew module early next month.

Launching atop a ULA Atlas V booster no earlier than May 6th at 10:34 PM EDT, the pair will head to the ISS for a 10-day stay on what will effectively be a “shakedown cruise” for the Starliner. Otherwise known as a flight certification test, a successful flight will see the Starliner routinely used to send astronauts to low Earth orbit.

Next Stop: ISS—Wilmore and Williams Prep for Starliner’s First Crewed Test Flight

By Mark Stone FMN April 24, 2024Aviation and Space News, NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance

The official crew portrait for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Left is Suni Williams, who will serve as the pilot, and to the right is Barry “Butch” Wilmore, spacecraft commander. Photo credit: NASA

It’s getting real y’all. In less than two weeks, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will climb aboard the new Boeing Starliner crew capsule for a test flight that will carry them to the International Space Station for a 10-day stay. Launching no earlier than 10:34 PM EDT on May 6th, the flight represents the first crewed flight test of the Starliner.