Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is set to make history on May 6, 2024, as it carries NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time. The launch will mark a significant milestone in commercial space travel and demonstrate Boeing's capability to safely transport crew members to orbit.
The Starliner spacecraft, designed by Boeing, is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program aimed at returning human spaceflight capabilities to the United States. The program has been in development since 2014 and faces several challenges due to software glitches and fuel valve issues that have caused significant delays.
The crew test flight (CFT) will be closely watched as it is a crucial step towards Boeing joining SpaceX in conducting routine flights to and from the ISS for NASA. The spacecraft is designed to land on land for regular missions but will splash down in the Atlantic Ocean during an emergency launch abort.
Both Wilmore and Williams are veteran astronauts with extensive experience. Wilmore previously launched on NASA's space shuttle Atlantis and aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, while Williams flew to the ISS twice, once on Discovery and another time in a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft.
The launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Starliner will dock to the forward-facing port of the ISS's Harmony module at 12:48 a.m., May 8.
NASA and Boeing plan to provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities, including a virtual news conference with astronauts Wilmore and Williams on May 1 at 1:30 p.m., as well as the launch itself on May 6. The post-launch press conference is expected to start at midnight EDT on May 7.
Stay tuned for more updates and coverage of this historic event.
