Starliner Finally Launches to the Space Station

Getting Starliner to this point has been a tough process for Boeing. The first attempt in 2019 failed.

AFP/MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO

The Atlas V rocket belonging to The United Launch Alliance (ULA) at launch complex 41 in the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States, on May 5, 2024.

CAPE CANAVERAL, MONDAY — The Starliner spacecraft made by Boeing Co underwent a test launch to the Space Station International or ISS, Monday (6/5/2024), after a long delay. The launch of the manned capsule was two years after the first launch of an unmanned capsule to the ISS.

As planned, the Starliner CST-100 capsule carrying two astronauts was launched on Monday at 22.34 US time at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The capsule is designed to carry up to seven astronauts.

The Starliner was launched with an Atlas V rocket produced by the joint venture of Boeing-Lockheed Martin, United Launch Alliance (ULA). Veteran NASA astronaut, Barry "Butch" Wilmore (61), and former US Navy test pilot and pilot, Sunita "Sunni" Williams (58), were the crew of the capsule.

Both of them have recorded a total of 500 days in space through their respective missions to the ISS. In Monday's launch, Wilmore became the commander and Williams the pilot.

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Although Starliner is designed as an autonomous vehicle, the crew can take control of the spacecraft if necessary. This test flight is an opportunity for both astronauts to practice manually maneuvering the Starliner.

Citing the BBC website, during the journey to the ISS, the crew will also test the spacecraft seats, assess life support and navigation systems, and evaluate the system for transferring cargo to the ISS.

AFP/MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO

The United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket is seen at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA on May 5, 2024.

They will also test new space suits. Wilmore and Williams will wear blue Boeing suits, which weigh 40 percent less than the previous generation of spacesuits and are more flexible. The suits are equipped with touch screen-sensitive gloves so that astronauts can work with tablets in the spacecraft.

With a forecast of 95 percent favorable weather, ULA has completed a launch readiness review on Friday (3/5/2024). ULA has given the green light for the vehicle to be launched at Cape Canaveral.

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This Starliner launch marks the first manned spacecraft trip to space using an Atlas rocket. Precisely since the Atlas family of launch vehicles first sent astronauts, including John Glenn, on orbital flights for NASA's Mercury program in the 1960s.

If everything goes as planned, the Starliner will arrive at the ISS after a flight of around 26 hours. The spacecraft is planned to land at the research station orbiting about 400 kilometers above Earth on Wednesday (8/5/2024). The two astronauts will be on the ISS for a week and return to Earth with the Starliner.

AFP PHOTO/NASA/JOEL KOWSKY

A photo released by NASA on May 5th, 2024, shows the United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket with the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.

Unlike other US spacecraft that always land by splashing down in the sea, Starliner will land with a parachute and airbag assistance in the southwest desert of the US. This landing will be the first for a NASA manned mission.

The success of the launch is crucial before Starliner obtains final approval to commence regular operational flights under NASA's commercial crew program. This launch provides an alternative for NASA to send astronauts to low Earth orbit from the US since Elon Musk's SpaceX began doing so in 2020.

The flight test was carried out at a very critical time for Boeing. Its commercial aircraft have experienced a series of safety crises in recent years.

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Bringing the Starliner to this point has been a difficult process for Boeing, which has faced setbacks in development for years. Boeing also experienced a cost over-run of more than 1.5 billion US dollars based on the fixed-price contract worth 4.2 billion US dollars with NASA for the giant aerospace project.

Boeing's first attempt to send an unmanned Starliner to the ISS in 2019 failed due to numerous software and technical disruptions. The second attempt in 2022 paved the way for this mission. If successful, Starliner is scheduled to launch at least six more manned missions to the ISS for NASA.

AFP/MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO

The Atlas V rocket belonging to The United Launch Alliance (ULA) was seen at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA on May 5, 2024.

During a pre-flight briefing with NASA officials on Friday, Boeing Vice President Mark Nappi stated that both parties fully agree that the Starliner is ready to fly with its crew. "We are very confident," he said.

"As this is a test flight, we are giving extra attention. That is why we are placing two test pilots inside," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. (REUTERS)