The launch of the first manned space mission Boeing It was suspended this Saturday when there were less than four minutes left before the scheduled takeoff from Florida (USA) towards the International Space Station (ISS), with two NASA astronauts on board.
The ship Starliner of the private firm was scheduled to depart at 12:25 local time (16:25 GMT), from a platform at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
The causes of the suspension or a new launch date have not been reported at the moment, although Boeing and the POT They had previously indicated that they considered June 2, 5 and 6 as possible backup days.
The Crew Flight Test mission is the result of years of hard work and dedication by Boeing to develop a spacecraft to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.
This project is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which seeks to foster collaboration with private industry partners to expand astronaut transportation options to the International Space Station (ISS).
Bill Nelson, NASA administrator, highlighted the importance of this flight, noting that it will be the sixth maiden voyage of a manned spacecraft in United States history. “It started with Mercury, then Gemini, then Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX) Dragon, and now Starliner,” he said at a press conference in May.
The Crew: Wilmore and Williams
Aboard the Starliner were veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. This mission is also significant because Suni will make history as the first woman to fly aboard such a mission.
Both astronauts bring vast experience and knowledge, ensuring that the mission will be in capable and safe hands.
