Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
NASA has announced the postponement of the launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft for the fifth time due to technical issues, pushing the launch window to between June 1 and June 5.
The crewed spacecraft will be piloted by Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, who is expected to embark on her third space mission aboard the Starliner.
NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) are evaluating potential launch opportunities on June 1, June 2, June 5, and June 6, with the primary window set for June 1 at 12:25 p.m.
The delay comes as teams assess Starliner's performance and address a small helium leak in the spacecraft's service module, conducting follow-on propulsion system assessments to understand potential impacts.
Despite the delay, Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore continue preparations, including simulator training, while remaining quarantined ahead of the anticipated launch.
The Starliner mission marks a pivotal moment for Boeing's program and could establish it as the second private firm capable of crew transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS), alongside SpaceX.
NASA will convene a Delta-Agency Flight Test Readiness Review to assess readiness and issue closure since the last launch attempt, ensuring thorough evaluation before the next launch endeavor.
Boeing's Starliner, developed under NASA's Commercial Crew Programme, aims to bolster crew transport capabilities, offering redundancy alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Sunita Williams, a US Navy veteran and experienced astronaut, holds multiple space mission records and was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998. She is set to pilot the Starliner alongside Wilmore.