Launch Delay: Boeing’s first Starliner flight with astronauts was called off minutes before launch on Saturday.
– Backup launch set for Sunday was also canceled.
Original Target: Scheduled for June 1 at 12:25 p.m. ET, aiming to carry astronauts to the ISS.
Press Conference: Boeing, NASA, and ULA held a press conference on Saturday afternoon.
– Mark Nappi, Boeing’s VP, stated the team quickly shifted to troubleshooting the issue.
Backup Launch Date: Backup launch for Sunday at 12:03 p.m. EDT canceled.
NASA cited a ground support equipment issue at the Florida launch site.
Next Steps: Potential new launch dates are June 5 or June 6, pending further updates from NASA.
Investigation: Investigating the cause of the malfunction.
– Possible causes include hardware or network issues, as per ULA CEO Tory Bruno.
Launch Hold: Automatic hold issued with under four minutes remaining in the countdown.
Crew on board are safe and have disembarked.
Starliner Crew: Two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, were aboard. Wilmore is the spacecraft commander; Williams is the pilot.
Past Issues: Early May launch attempt also canceled due to rocket issues.
A small helium leak in Starliner was identified but deemed stable.
Comparative Performance: SpaceX’s Dragon capsule has been flying astronauts for NASA since 2020.
Boeing's Starliner has faced delays, eating $1.5 billion in costs and nearly $5 billion in NASA funds.
Ongoing Commitment: Boeing is contracted to fly six Starliner missions to the ISS. Saturday’s test is critical for NASA certification for regular missions.