Produced by: Tarun Mishra
NASA scrubbed the launch attempt of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft just four minutes before lift-off on Saturday. This marks the sixth time the launch has been canceled due to technical issues.
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, set for their maiden Starliner flight, faced another delay. NASA has yet to clarify the specific reasons for the last-minute cancellation.
The launch faced scrutiny due to a topping issue with the Atlas V rocket. Although this issue was fixed in time, the mission was still called off moments before takeoff.
Following the resolution of the rocket issue, astronauts Williams and Wilmore were secured in the spacecraft, and the latch was closed, ready for launch before the scrub.
Williams, piloting the spacecraft, and Wilmore, the mission's flight commander, are seasoned space travelers. Both have previously participated in Shuttle missions to space.
The astronauts were scheduled to dock the Starliner spacecraft with the International Space Station after a 24-hour flight. This mission marks Williams' third space mission, adding to her cumulative 322 days in space.
The United States aims to certify Starliner as the second spacecraft with orbital capabilities to transport humans to and from space. Currently, SpaceX's Crew Dragon leads the commercial space race.
With the Saturday launch scrubbed, NASA will likely attempt the launch between June 2 and June 6. The Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso, is designed to fly autonomously or be manually steered, and it is expected to rendezvous with the space station after a 24-hour journey.