CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – Boeing's historic first crewed launch of the Starliner spacecraft, set to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS), has been delayed due to a malfunctioning valve in the Atlas V rocket's upper stage. The new launch date is expected to be no earlier than May 17.
The issue was identified during routine pre-launch checks on Monday, May 5, when engineers noticed an unusual buzz coming from the rocket. Upon further investigation, they discovered that a pressure-relief valve in the upper stage had opened and closed rapidly multiple times. This behavior exceeded the valve's design limit and necessitated its replacement.
The Starliner spacecraft, which will be Boeing's first crewed launch since the company joined NASA's Commercial Crew Program, was scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 6. However, with the new valve issue and subsequent replacement required, the launch has been postponed.
The astronauts were already seated aboard the Starliner capsule when the scrub occurred. They will remain at Cape Canaveral while engineers work to resolve this issue and prepare for a new launch date.
This delay marks another setback for Boeing's Starliner program, which has already faced numerous challenges in its development. The first uncrewed test flight of the spacecraft, known as Orbital Flight Test 1 (OFT-1), experienced several issues and did not reach the ISS as planned.
The NASA astronauts assigned to this mission are no strangers to space travel. Suni Williams has previously spent over 322 days in space across two missions, while Butch Wilmore has logged a total of 665 days in orbit. They will be eager to embark on their third journey into space aboard the Starliner.
The delay also affects SpaceX's Crew Dragon, which was scheduled to launch with astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur on May 17. NASA has not yet announced any changes to this mission.
Sources:
- AP News: Boeing's first astronaut launch is off until late next week to replace a bad rocket valve
- CNN: Boeing's historic Starliner mission now expected to launch no sooner than May 17 after valve issue