Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
After multiple delays, two scrubs, and several technical glitches, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully launched on its maiden human flight to space on Wednesday.
Credit : NASA
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and astronaut Butch Willmore, the commander of the Crew Flight Test mission, are onboard. This marks Williams’ third mission and Willmore’s role as the flight commander.
The astronauts have trained for years to manoeuvre the spacecraft, which will autonomously dock with the International Space Station (ISS), orbiting over 400 kilometres above Earth.
The Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso, was developed by Boeing under a NASA contract. It has previously completed two uncrewed missions to the ISS despite several developmental delays and glitches.
The launch faced multiple scrubs, including a last-minute abort on June 1 due to a ground launch sequencer failure, and previous attempts in May were halted by a faulty oxygen relief valve and a helium leak in the service module.
If the mission proceeds as planned, Starliner will dock with the ISS approximately 26 hours after launch. Williams and Willmore will stay at the ISS for about a week before returning to Earth, landing in the southwestern desert with parachute and airbag assistance.
The successful operation of Starliner is crucial for NASA’s astronaut transportation strategy. It aims to complement the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which currently serves this purpose under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Starliner is a reusable crew capsule designed by Boeing. It can transport up to seven passengers and features innovative technology, including a weldless structure and wireless internet. The spacecraft also has a pusher abort system for crew safety and aims for up to 10 missions with a six-month turnaround time, enhancing cost-effectiveness and accessibility in human spaceflight.