Officials from NASA reported that a safety check caused the postponement of Boeing’s first crewed space trip, which occurred just two hours before takeoff. The decision to abort the launch was taken while astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were already inside the Starliner spacecraft. A possible problem with the oxygen relief valve in the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas rocket caused the delay.
The problem did not impact the Boeing Starliner spaceship, which is perched atop the rocket. The launch countdown was stopped when flight engineers found out the valve was opening and shutting too quickly. In order to ascertain whether the valve has gone beyond its service life and need replacement, the team is presently examining the data.
Boeing has stated that another attempt at the launch, which was initially meant to depart from Florida’s Cape Canaveral and travel to the International Space Station (ISS), might happen as soon as Friday. Problems with the spacecraft’s development have caused the mission to be postponed many times.
According to NASA administrator Bill Nelson, safety is their number one concern, and the agency will move forward with the launch only when all conditions are met. Boeing plans to join SpaceX as commercial companies that offer personnel transportation to and from the International Space Station.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft reached this landmark in 2020, marking the end of nearly a decade of US dependence on Russian space rockets. During its unmanned test flights, Boeing’s Starliner had problems with the propulsion system and software. Some worried about the spacecraft’s cooling system and thruster performance, but the mission was successfully completed on the second try.
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