NASA announces new date for Sunita Williams' third space journey following an oxygen vault failure in the first attempt
Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Pre-Launch Setback
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams was poised for her third flight to space on Tuesday when NASA and Boeing called off the mission just hours before liftoff.
Scrubbed Mission
The maiden human spaceflight of Starliner, known as the Crew Flight Test, was halted due to a faulty oxygen relief valve on the second stage of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
Astronauts Return
Following the scrubbed launch, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams exited the Starliner spacecraft and returned to the astronaut crew quarters at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Technical Evaluation
NASA cited a need for additional time to evaluate an oxygen relief valve on the Centaur Stage of the Atlas V rocket, manufactured by the United Launch Alliance.
Launch Rescheduled
NASA announced a new launch attempt for May 10, aiming to resolve the technical issue before the next launch window.
Targeted Date
The Boeing Starliner with the two astronauts is scheduled to launch atop the ULA rocket on May 10, pending resolution of the technical issue.
Certification Process
The United States seeks to certify the Starliner spacecraft as the second vehicle capable of launching and returning humans to and from space, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
Spacecraft Details
The Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso, is designed for autonomous or manual steering and is expected to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station upon reaching orbit.