In a last-minute decision, NASA and Boeing have scrubbed the launch of the first crewed mission of the Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). The scheduled liftoff was set for Saturday at 12:25 p.m. Eastern Time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket was poised to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the ISS for a week-long test of the Starliner spacecraft and its subsystems. Approximately three minutes and fifty seconds before the planned launch, the ULA launch team issued an automatic hold of the ground launch sequencer, leading to the postponement.
This marks the second scrub of the Starliner’s first crewed flight, with the previous attempt on May 6 canceled due to technical issues. NASA has yet to announce a new launch date as teams work to resolve the underlying concerns.
The mission is a critical step for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to certify the Starliner for regular transportation to the ISS, enhancing the agency's capabilities in crewed spaceflight.
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Boeing scrubs Starliner's first crewed mission minutes before liftoff
cgtn.com
