Boeing postponed its inaugural astronaut launch of the Starliner capsule due to a valve malfunction on Monday, delaying the flight of two NASA test pilots to the International Space Station. This issue occurred during pre-launch checks at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, leading to a decision to stand down moments before liftoff. Megan Cruz, a NASA communications spokesperson, reported that the issue involved an oxygen pressure-relief valve on the Atlas rocket’s upper stage, supplied by United Launch Alliance, which started malfunctioning, potentially exceeding its operational lifespan. If engineers confirm the valve’s functionality within limits, the team may reschedule the launch as early as Tuesday night.
“And so we stayed with the rules and the procedures, and scrubbed as a result,” United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno said at the press conference.
This setback is part of ongoing challenges with Boeing’s Starliner, which has faced multiple delays, including a failed uncrewed test flight in 2019 and issues with parachutes and flammable tape. Unlike satellite missions where similar valve problems were resolved by resetting, stringent safety protocols for crewed flights prevent such measures. The recent incident highlights continuing hurdles in Boeing’s role, alongside SpaceX, in NASA’s commercial crew program initiated a decade ago to replace the shuttle missions.
Associate Minister of NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate Ken Bowersox noted that the countdown for lift-off was proceeding smoothly until the launch team “spotted the issue”. “They followed their flight rules and made the decision to scrub so they could do some more troubleshooting and decide what we were going to do next,” he said, adding the team still needed to “gather more data”.
While NASA’s commercial crew program manager Steve Stich stated that they are taking it one step at a time and will launch when they are ready and fly when it is safe to do so.
Featured image: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams on their way to the Boeing Starliner Monday, May 6, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Credit: AP
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