Boeing's Starliner appears to have finally overcome the obstacles and difficulties that marked its development. NASA and Boeing are now preparing the Starliner's first manned test flight to the International Space Station (ISS).
While SpaceXSpaceX has been providing regular transportation services for astronauts, tourists and private astronauts since May 2020, the date of the American company's first manned flight, Boeing and NASA are preparing to launch the Starliner's first manned test flight towards the International Space StationInternational Space Station (ISS), after several years delay. The Starliner was originally scheduled to enter service in 2017!
Boeing Starliner flies from report to report for its space station missions
After conducting two uncrewed orbital test flights of the Starliner in December 2019 and May 2022, which were marked by technical problems that led to development delays, Boeing appears to have finally overcome these difficulties.
The spacecraft will be launched by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It will carry two NASA astronauts, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, for a stay of one to two weeks.
A mission to prepare for Boeing operational service in 2025
This mission, called the Boeing Crew Flight Test, is critical to the future of the program. If things go smoothly and all set goals are met, Boeing can begin its astronaut space transportation services on behalf of NASA or another private customer such as SpaceX and its Crew Dragon. This first operational deployment of the Starliner (Starliner-1) is planned for early 2025 at the earliest.
This mission is part of NASA's Commercial Crew program, which uses private space transportation services to rotate crews aboard the ISS.