The first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner to the International Space Station is facing another delay due to a technical glitch, NASA announced Friday.
Initially set for Tuesday in Florida, the launch has now been rescheduled for May 25 to address a helium leak linked to a service module on top of the rocket, AFP reported.
Earlier this month, a Starliner launch faced a last-minute postponement after another technical glitch with astronauts already tied up.
The extra time allows teams to further evaluate the helium leak, NASA said on its website.
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Two astronauts, Butch Willmore and Sunita Williams, meanwhile, are staying in Houston, Texas until the mission is ready.
This latest setback adds to the already long wait for the much-anticipated work, which has been plagued by delays for years. With safety concerns surrounding its commercial aircraft division, which has been a leader in aerospace innovation for more than a century, the timing couldn’t be more challenging for Boeing.
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For NASA, the success of the Starliner mission is critical to certifying a second commercial vehicle to carry crews to the International Space Station. SpaceX, under the leadership of Elon Musk, reached this milestone in 2020 with its Dragon capsule, effectively ending nearly a decade of reliance on Russian rockets after the end of the space shuttle program.
(with inputs from AFP)
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