Rival companies Boeing and SpaceX are preparing for significant spaceflights this week. On Wednesday, Boeing will attempt to launch two NASA astronauts, Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams, aboard its Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Boeing has faced numerous delays and technical issues with the Starliner program. Its first crewed test flight was scheduled for May 6 but was called off due to a valve issue on the Atlas V rocket second stage. The second attempt on June 1 was also aborted due to a helium leak within the spacecraft service module and concerns about the parachutes for the Starliner capsule.
SpaceX, Boeing's competitor under NASA's Commercial Crew program, has already been sending astronauts to the ISS aboard its Crew Dragon capsule since 2020. NASA currently relies on SpaceX as its only vehicle for sending crew members to orbit from U.S. soil.
Boeing aims for Starliner to become the second U.S. ride to orbit and compete with SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule.
Meanwhile, temperatures in Central Florida are expected to reach the middle of the 90s this afternoon with mostly clear skies early on, but there is a chance for spotty isolated showers later this afternoon along the I-4 corridor and across the east coast. The warming trend will continue throughout the week, with highs reaching upper 90s by Saturday.
Starliner's third launch attempt comes after SpaceX successfully launched its Starship megarocket on Thursday from Texas for an uncrewed test flight. Starship is designed to be fully reusable and could play a significant role in NASA's plan to return astronauts to the moon.
Boeing's Starliner mission marks a crucial milestone in the company's ambitions to compete with SpaceX and expand its presence in space exploration.
