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Starliner astronauts arrive at launch pad
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have arrived at United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Launch Complex-41 (LC-41) and are preparing to board Starliner ahead of today’s launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT) to the International Space Station (ISS).
Starliner astronauts head to launch pad
Starliner Crewed Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are headed to their Starliner Atlas V rocket launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The two astronauts walked out of NASA’s Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center with broad smiles, waves and roses as they bid farewell to friends and loved ones ahead of their flight.
Before leaving for the pad, Wilmore (Starliner’s commander) and Williams (the pilot) did battle with NASA Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba (a teacher-turned-spaceflyer) in a series of games. By tradition, astronaut crews have to beat the chief astronaut at those games before leaving for the pad. They appeared to tackle trials of arm wrestling and Rock, Paper, Scissors for this go around.
Starliner’s CFT mission will be the third career spaceflight for both Williams and Wilmore.
Starliner astronauts suit up for launch, rocket fueled
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are suiting up for their launch on Boeing’s Starliner Crewed Flight Test mission today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT). Wilmore (commander) and Williams (pilot) are donning their blue Boeing-issue spacesuits in NASA’s checkout buidling.
Meanwhile, United Launch Alliance has completed the fueling operations for the Starliner crew’s Atlas V rocket. Currently, all systems are operating as expected with a 90% chance of good weather, with cumulus clouds posing the only potential threat to launch.
Fueling has begun!
The ULA team has begun filing the Centaur upper stage with liquid oxygen. About 4,150 gallons of liquid oxygen will be loaded into the Dual Engine Centaur for its mission to accelerate Starliner to space.
Starliner is scheduled to launch today at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT). You can watch it here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA.
Starliner go for launch on June 5
The first crewed mission aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft is proceeding towards launch on Wednesday (June 5) after a computer issue in the ground launch sequencer system scrubbed the previous launch attempt with just minutes left in the countdown.
“Teams at NASA and Boeing Space confirmed on Monday that the Starliner spacecraft, ULA Atlas V rocket, and ground support equipment are healthy and ready for the 10:52 a.m. ET June 5 launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test,” NASA’s Commercial Crew program wrote on X on Monday (June 3).
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 45 has predicted a 90% chance of favorable weather at launch, which occurs at 10:52 a.m. ET (1452 GMT). Watch it live here courtesy of NASA.
Related: Boeing’s 1st Starliner astronaut launch aborted minutes before liftoff (video)
NASA says Starliner launch delayed to June 5
Boeing’s next attempt to launch its first Starliner astronaut mission will occur no earlier than June 5, NASA officials said this afternoon.
In an emailed statement to reporters, NASA said that the agency, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance will skip a launch opportunity on June 2 and await the next window on June 5. Liftoff is now set for Wednesday, June 5, at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT).
“Saturday’s launch was to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the International Space Station scrubbed due to an observation of a ground launch sequencer. The system was unsuccessful in verifying the sequencer’s necessary redundancy,” NASA officials wrote in an update.
“NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are forgoing a Crew Flight Test launch attempt Sunday, June 2, to give the team additional time to assess a ground support equipment issue at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida,” NASA added. “ULA will assess the ground support equipment overnight, and NASA will provide an update June 2 on next steps for the flight. The next available launch opportunities are Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.”
Faulty computer card suspected in Starliner abort
Tory Bruno, CEO of the United Launch Alliance, told reporters that a faulty computer card appears to have led to today’s Starliner launch abort minutes before liftoff. The card is in one of several computers that form the ground launch sequencer system that governs the final phase of its Atlas V rocket countdown. Solving the problem may be as simple as just replacing the computer card, which can be done once pad crews can safely approach the pad after the Atlas V has been emptied of propellant and made safe, a process that will take several hours.
If the fix is that simple, then Starliner’s next launch will be set for Sunday, July 2, at 12:03 p.m. EDT (1603 GMT), with NASA’s livestream of the launch beginning around 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT). NASA’s Steve Stitch said the agency will make an announcement later Saturday afternoon or evening on the launch plan.
Meanwhile, the team is working hard despite the setback of a launch abort today, Stitch added.
“It’s disappointing. Everybody’s a little disappointed but you kind of roll your sleeves up and get right back to work.”
Starliner astronauts egress spacecraft after scrub
Following today’s scrub of Boeing’s first crewed Starliner launch, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have now exited their spacecraft. After safing the launch vehicle and ground infrastructure, mission operators configured the launch tower at LC-41 to reopen Starliner’s hatch and assist the astronauts’ egress from the space capsule. They have now been transported back to their quarters at the Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, remaining in quarantine as they await Starliner’s next launch attempt.
Related: Launch of Boeing’s 1st Starliner astronaut test flight aborted minutes before liftoff (video)
SCRUB! Starliner launch attempt called off
United Launch Alliance has called an official scrub while engineers work to understand why a Ground Launch Sequencer called an automatic hold 3 minutes and 50 seconds before liftoff.
There will be no Starliner launch today.
Boeing and ULA may attempt another launch try on Sunday, June 2, if they can clear the issue in time.
Starliner back on external power after launch hold
Starliner CFT launch control reports that the Starliner spacecraft is back on external power while the countdown is halted at T-3 minutes, 50 seconds.
The Crew Access Arm has been swiveled back to the Starliner capsule.
If Starliner is unable to launch today, Boeing does have a backup day on Sunday, June 2, at 12:03 p.m. EDT (1603 GMT) if ULA and Boeing are able to clear the issue in time.
HOLD! Starliner launch countdown halted
Starliner’s launch director has called a hold at the T-3 minutes, 50 seconds mark, likely scrubbing today’s launch attempt due to its instantaneous window.
We’re awaiting word on the exact nature of the hold, although audio from Launch Control did state that a launch control switch was not ready. Awaiting details
Starliner Access Arm retracted, suit fan glitch fixed
The Starliner Crew Access Arm has been moved clear of the Starliner capsule. Meanwhile, the flight control team appears to have cleared the spacesuit fan glitch and CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have closed their visors for launch once more.
ULA, Boeing work through Starliner suit fan glitch
Starliner CFT commander Butch Wilmore has reported a suit fan warning light and launch controllers are now working to swap suit fan systems to a backup, with the crew told to open their helmet visors, even as they are less than 11 minutes to launch.
Starliner CFT astronauts close helmets for launch
Starliner CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have closed their Boeing spacesuit helmets for launch as they entire their final 20 minutes before liftoff.
United Launch Alliance flight controllers reported an errant temperature sensor reading in a sensor that won’t be needed for launch, so it’s been deactivated a bit earlier than planned and poses no issue for liftoff. The launch remains on track for 12:25 pm ET (1625 GMT).
Boeing Starliner hatch closed, access arm cleared
The closeout crew for Boeing’s first crewed Starliner launch on an Atlas V rocket is leaving the launch pad after closing the Starliner hatch and moving its Crew Access Arm clear of the capsule.
Starliner and its Atlas V rocket sit atop Space Launch Complex-41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida with liftoff still targeted for 12:25 p.m. EDT. We are just over 30 minutes away from launch, with the weather forecast to be 90% GO at launch time.
Valve issue circumvented
Propellant topping has resumed for the liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks inside the Atlas Centaur upper stage. After testing a fix, engineers determined the issue was with the primary telemetry stream, not the valves themselves, and decided to switch the valve data stream to a redundant system. Now, as the countdown clock continues, mission operators are working to close the Starliner hatch ahead of launch.
Valve issues with the Atlas Centaur upper stage
Two valves associated with propellant loading ground support systems, responsible in part for topping off propellant in the liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks in the Atlas Centaur second stage, are experiencing an apparent communications issue between with launch control, causing mission operators to begin assessment for a corrective action. With two hours before liftoff, the decision was made to cease topping off the tanks in the rocket’s second stage as the problem is worked out. Mission operators are testing a redundancy system in order to circumvent the problem.
Today’s launch is scheduled for an instantaneous liftoff window at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). Should the valve problem persist to the point that window becomes unviable, backup attempts are scheduled for tomorrow, June 5 and June 6.
Starliner crew strapped in and ready to launch
Now less than three hours before liftoff, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are strapped into Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft ahead of the scheduled launch for the Crewed Flight Test (CFT) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The pair will continue their prelaunch checklist before the hatch to Starliner will be shut and sealed as the countdown to liftoff ticks away.
Starliner astronauts headed to the launchpad
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, where the duo performed suit leak checks ahead of this afternoon’s crewed Starliner launch. They will make the short drive to United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Launch Copmlex-41(LC-41) to board Starliner ahead of the12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT) instantaneous launch window. The trip to orbit will take approximately 31 minutes, with Starliner’s service module executing the spacecraft’s final orbital insertion burn. NASA is livestreaming today’s launch activities, which you can watch here, at Space.com
Fueling is underway ahead of Starliner’s first crewed launch
Fueling is nearly complete for the Atlas V rocket poised to launch the first crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Atlas V’s engines are powered with 48,800 gallons (184,730 liters) of super-chilled liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene, and 12,300 gallons (46,560 liters) of liquid hydrogen for the Dual Engine Centaur upper stage.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will soon depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, and make the short drive to LC-41 to board Starliner ahead of this afternoon’s 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT) liftoff.
Related: The ISS has a urine pump problem. Boeing’s Starliner astronaut launch will flush it out.
Weather looks 90% favorable for 1st Starliner launch on June 1
According to the most recent forecast on May 31, there is still a 90% chance of favorable weather for the first Crew Flight Test of Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft.
Starliner will liftoff atop an Atlas V rocket from ULA’s Launch Complex-41, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams will ride Starliner to the International Space Station.
“High pressure dominates the Central Florida weather, bringing breezy, easterly winds and dry, stable air to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for the launch opportunity,” United Launch Alliance (ULA) wrote on its website on Friday (May 31).
Launch is scheduled for this Saturday, June 1, at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). Watch it live here courtesy of ULA.
Related: Boeing’s Starliner rolls out to pad for June 1 astronaut launch (photos)
Boeing and ULA on track for June 1 launch for NASA
Boeing and ULA are moving progressing toward a June 1 launch of the first crewed flight test (CFT) of the Starliner spacecraft. Liftoff atop an Atlas V rocket, from ULA’s Launch Complex-41, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, is scheduled for this Saturday, at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). According to a May 28 update from Boeing and ULA, Saturday’s forecast currently shows a 90 percent chance of favorable weather conditions Starliner’s upcoming launch window.
NASA, Boeing provide update on June 1 Starliner launch target
NASA and Boeing are providing an update to reporters at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT) about the new target launch date of June 1 for Starliner, along with information on how fixes are proceeding on the spacecraft. You can tune in live on our website, and keep following for updates on the situation.
Boeing Starliner crew flight test delayed to May 21
We’ll have to wait a little longer for the first crew flight test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
After the first launch attempt on May 8 was scrubbed due to a valve issue on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket that will launch Starliner, Boeing announced today that teams are now “targeting a launch date of no earlier than 4:43 p.m. EDT (2043 GMT) on Tuesday, May 21, to complete additional testing.”
When it launches, Starliner will carry NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams to the International Space Station for a seven-day test flight. You can watch the launch live here when the time comes.
Related: Boeing’s Starliner rolled off launch pad to replace ‘buzzing’ rocket valve (photo)
1st astronaut launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft just 3 days away
The first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is just three days away, if current timelines hold.
Starliner’s first launch attempt on May 6 was delayed due to a valve issue on its rocket ride. United Launch Alliance rolled its Atlas V rocket back to an assembly building at Cape Canaveral Space Force to replace the valve on May 8.
The next launch attempt is now scheduled for 6:16 p.m. EDT (2216 GMT) on Friday (May 17). You can watch the launch live here at Space.com.
Related: Boeing’s Starliner rolled off launch pad to replace ‘buzzing’ rocket valve (photo)
Crewed Starliner launch delayed to no earlier than May 17, rocket rolling back for repairs
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will have to wait another 10 days for their launch to the International Space Station (ISS). United Launch Alliance (ULA) is moving forward with the replacement of a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank in the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage, which caused a scrub of Monday night’s (May 6) Starliner launch. Monday’s attempt to launch Starliner’s crewed flight test (CFT) was called off about two ours before the scheduled liftoff, and initially retargeted a new launch date of May 10.
Now, ULA will roll Starliner and its Atlas V launch vehicle back to the company’s vertical integration facility tomorrow (May 8), where the second stage valve will be replaced, NASA announced in a blog post. The May 17 launch attempt is scheduled for an instantaneous launch window at 6:16 p.m. EDT (1016 GMT).
Starliner’s first crewed launch delayed to no earlier than Friday (May 10)
It will take a few days to work through the valve issue that scrubbed the first astronaut mission of Boeing’s Starliner capsule, a test mission to the International Space Station called Crew Flight Test (CFT).
CFT was supposed to launch on Monday night (May 6). That attempt was called off about two hours before the planned liftoff, however, due to an issue with a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank in the upper stage of Starliner’s rocket ride, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V. Early on Tuesday morning (May 7), NASA announced that launch teams need more time to troubleshoot the issue. The earliest that CFT could launch is now Friday night (May 10), at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT on May 11).
ULA eyes ‘buzzing’ valve swap for 2nd Starliner launch try
Untied Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno told reporters late Monday that ULA engineers are studying a “buzzing” liquid oxygen pressure relief valve on the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage to determine if it needs to be replaced — a finding that will determine when the next launch try of Boeing’s 1st Starliner astronaut mission could fly.
During tonight’s scrubbed launch, ULA engineers detected that the valve was “buzzing” – rapidly opening and closing repeatedly – and ultimately called off the launch. While ULA has seen the valve issue on previous uncrewed satellite launches, the flight rules for Starliner’s crewed test forbid cycling the valve to fix it with astronauts aboard.
If the wonky valve needs to be replaced, the earliest Starliner could launch its Crew Flight Test mission would be Sunday, May 12, Bruno said. If not, the mission could potentially aim for Tuesday, May 7, at 10:11 p.m. ET or Friday, May 10, at 9 pm ET.
Engineers are expected to know more on the road ahead for Starliner and the Atlas V early Tuesday.
NASA briefing on Starliner launch scrub
NASA will hold a press conference on tonight’s Boeing Starliner astronaut launch scrub at 10:30 p.m. EDT (0230 May 7 GMT). You’ll be able to watch it live at the top of this page at start time.
“NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance will host a news conference at 10:30 p.m. EDT to discuss Monday’s scrubbed launch attempt of the agency’s Crew Flight Test due to a faulty oxygen relief valve observation on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Centaur second stage,” NASA officials wrote in an update. “NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams exited the Starliner spacecraft at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and returned to astronaut crew quarters.”
Boeing Starliner scrubbed due to rocket valve issue
Boeing’s new commercial spacecraft, Starliner, waved off its first launch attempt late tonight (May 6) due to a problem with an “oxygen relief valve on the Centaur Stage on the Atlas V,” NASA posted on X. Atlas V, the flight’s rocket manufactured by United Launch Alliance, has flown missions since 2002 with a 100 percent success rate, but this is its first mission with astronauts.
“The engineering team has evaluated the vehicle is not in a configuration where we can proceed with flight today,” an official in Mission Control said in a callout broadcast on NASA Television roughly two hours and one minute before the scheduled launch at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0024 GMT May 7).
Read more: Boeing Starliner team delays 1st historic astronaut launch due to rocket issue
Launch scrubbed
Crew Flight Test is scrubbed for tonight, United Launch Alliance announced on its Twitter feed.
“ULA Launch Director Tom Heter III has made the decision to the launch team that launch operations will not continue tonight for #AtlasV and #Starliner.”
More information to come.
Crew Flight Test astronauts enter spacecraft
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, of Crew Flight Test, have started ingress of their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7) and is set to be the first Starliner mission with astronauts on board.
Crew Flight Test astronauts finish walkout
Crew Flight Test NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now out of their quarantine facility, fully ready in their spacesuits, and doing crew walkout. They will soon be on their way to the launch pad shortly via the Airstream Astrovan II for their ride to Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Launch of the first Boeing Starliner mission with astronauts is scheduled for tonight (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT Tuesday, May 7) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Crew Flight Test astronauts walk out to Astrovan II
Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both of NASA and both former U.S. Navy test pilots, are about to do their walk out to the Airstream Astrovan II for their ride to Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Launch of the first Boeing Starliner mission with astronauts is scheduled for tonight (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT Tuesday, May 7) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
NASA Television coverage begins
NASA’s coverage of Boeing Starliner is live! You can follow all updates via our home page at Space.com. Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7).
This mission, known as Crew Flight Test, aims to be the first to send astronauts to the International Space Station. On board are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Where will Boeing’s Starliner launch will be visible from?
Even if you can’t make it out to Florida’s space coast to see the first astronaut launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the rocket in flight.
United Launch Alliance (ULA), whose mighty Atlas V rocket will launch NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore on the first crew flight test of Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft, released a visibility map on X showing the locations in Florida from where the launch might be visible.
ULA’s Atlas V rocket is scheduled to lift off on Monday (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. (0234 GMT on May 7) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Watch it live here courtesy of NASA starting at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT).
Related: How to watch Boeing’s 1st Starliner astronaut launch tonight live online
Read more: Boeing Starliner 1st astronaut flight: Live updates
Starliner launch on track for tonight
The long awaited liftoff of Boeing’s Starliner will launch this evening (May 6), carrying NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Willmore and Sunita “Sunni” Williams, on the spacecraft’s first crewed flight.
Liftoff for Starliner’s crewed flight test (CFT) is set for an instantaneous launch window at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT on Tuesday, May 7), from Launch Complex-41 (LC-41), at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in Florida. The spacecraft will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, and will rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) May 8, at 12:48 a.m. EDT (0648 GMT).
The mission, designed as a final shake-down cruise for Starliner, will remain docked with the ISS for about 10 days while Wilmore and Williams test the spacecraft’s systems, before returning to Earth.
You can watch the historic mission from launch, ISS rendezvous, and return live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA Television.
1 day until historic Boeing Starliner launch with astronauts
Launch day for the debut Boeing Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to be no earlier than tomorrow (May 6). The instantaneous launch window opens at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT on Tuesday, May 7) and you can watch the historic International Space Station (ISS) mission live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA Television.
An Atlas V rocket rolled out to its launch pad on Saturday (May 4), also Star Wars Day, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The stack includes both the United Launch Alliance booster and Starliner.
The mission, called Crew Flight Test (CFT), will send two veteran NASA astronauts and former U.S. Navy test pilots aloft: Butch Wilmore will command the mission and Suni Williams will be the pilot. The duo are quarantining at the nearby Kennedy Space Center.
Read more: Boeing Starliner rolls out to launch pad for 1st astronaut flight on May 6 (photos)
What’s next for Boeing Starliner after 1st crew flight test?
The first crew flight test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is just days away.
After years of development, NASA and Boeing are set to introduce another option for accessing low Earth orbit with Starliner. But what exactly will the Starliner program look like after the crew flight test on May 6?
Read our full coverage where we break down what’s next for Starliner, including its first operational mission to the International Space Station in 2025.
Related: What’s next for Boeing Starliner after its 1st crew flight test?
Read more: Their other vehicle is the Starliner: Boeing’s 1st crew to ride Astrovan II to the launch pad
Boeing Starliner was delayed years. Here’s why
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is finally on the verge of making its first crewed flight.
Starliner has had a hard road to get rated for crewed flight, including years of delays and an unsuccessful first uncrewed flight test in 2019 in which the spacecraft did not reach the ISS as planned.
So how did Starliner get here, despite its numerous setbacks? Read our full coverage to get up to speed with what makes Starliner’s Crew Flight Test mission currently scheduled for Monday (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT on May 7) such a historic moment.
Related: Boeing’s Starliner is ready to fly astronauts after years of delay. Here’s what took so long.
What to expect during Boeing Starliner’s May 6 astronaut flight
After years of delays, it’s finally here: The first crewed flight test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Starliner is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 16 at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7). The event will be livestreamed here at Space.com, via NASA Television.
But what exactly will happen before, during and after the launch? Space.com’s Elizabeth Howell, who will be on location for Starliner’s first astronaut launch, breaks down the key milestones in terms of what to expect during Boeing Starliner’s test flight on May 6.
Related: Here’s what to expect during Boeing Starliner’s 1st astronaut test flight on May 6
Starliner astronauts hold last press conference before May 6 launch
The first two NASA astronauts to fly aboard Boeing Starliner, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams, will have a press conference with reporters from their quarantine at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) near Orlando, Florida.
The virtual news conference will run live on NASA Television at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) and will be streamed here at Space.com if possible.
The astronauts’ mission, Crew Flight Test or CFT, will also see Wilmore and Williams (both former U.S. Navy test pilots) become the first humans to fly on board the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. Launch is scheduled for May 6 at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7).
CFT is expected to last a bit over a week and will include a stay at the International Space Station (ISS). Alongside ground controllers, Williams and Wilmore will perform a check of all major spacecraft systems ahead of certifying Starliner for six-month excursions to space.
Boeing will then join SpaceX as a provider of astronaut spacecraft for ISS missions. Read more about why NASA wants two companies sending astronauts to space in this Space.com story.
Starliner launch schedule released for May 6 launch
NASA has released its launch schedule for Boeing Starliner‘s historic first flight with astronauts, which will take place no earlier than Monday (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both former U.S. Navy test pilots, will fly their mission to the International Space Station for approximately a week to certify Starliner for future half-year missions. They will also be the first astronauts to ride aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA)’s Atlas V rocket. Liftoff will take place from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Orlando, Florida.
Coverage will run live here at Space.com, via NASA Television. All major events for Starliner’s flight are listed below. Timings for events below are in EDT.
Wednesday, May 1
1:30 p.m. – Virtual news conference at Kennedy with the flight test astronauts:
Friday, May 3
12:30 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference at Kennedy (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
3:30 p.m. – NASA Social panel live stream event at Kennedy with the following participants:
Monday, May 6
6:30 p.m. – Launch coverage begins.
10:34 p.m. – Launch.
Tuesday, May 7
12 a.m. – Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
Boeing Starliner astronauts 1 week away from launch
NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams finished a big dress rehearsal for their Boeing Starliner mission on Friday (April 26) near their launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Their quarantined training continues for a scheduled May 6 liftoff to the International Space Station, one week from today.
Williams and Wilmore also recently performed a video tour of one of their simulators, called the Boeing Mission Trainer, to demonstrate procedures for launch and landing. The simulator is housed at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Their mission, Crew Flight Test, passed its latest flight readiness review on Thursday (April 25), although as with all launches, safety and weather checks will continue all the way through the time it lifts off. The mission is expected to last about a week to certify future half-year operational excursions, starting with Starliner-1 in 2025.
Read more: Boeing Starliner astronauts conduct dress rehearsal ahead of May 6 launch (photos, video)
1st Starliner astronauts finish dress rehearsal before May 6 launch
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finished a big dress rehearsal before their historic launch upon Boeing Starliner no earlier than May 6, agency officials said Friday (April 26) hours after the rehearsal finished.
“Wilmore and Williams completed a series of launch day milestones including suiting up, working in a flight deck simulator, and operating the same software that will be used during the launch,” NASA officials wrote in a blog post on Friday (April 26).
The rehearsal took place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida and included a countdown procedure with the Starliner spacecraft, which is on top of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will carry it to the International Space Station (ISS).
The one-week Crew Flight Test passed its latest flight readiness review with NASA on Thursday (April 25). CFT, the first Starliner mission with astronauts, aims to certify the spacecraft for six-month missions to the ISS that may start as soon as 2025. Read more about Starliner being “go for launch” here at Space.com.
Starliner astronauts arrive at launch site
The two NASA astronauts who will fly on Boeing’s first crewed Starliner spacecraft have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for their historic launch to the International Space Station on June 1.
Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Sunita Williams landed their NASA T-38 supersonic jet at the space center’s Launch and Landing Facility after a short flight from Houston’s Ellington Field near the Johnson Space Center.
The astronauts will launch to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner and an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station near KSC. Their one-week mission to the ISS is a final shakedown cruise for Boeing’s Starliner to prove it is ready for operational NASA crew flights. At the end of the mission, Starliner will parachute to Earth and make a land-based landing in the southwestern United States.