After years of delays, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is finally ready for launch, with liftoff targeted for May. The spacecraft faced setbacks due to safety hazards, including issues with parachutes and flammable protective tape.
The upcoming mission will carry NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore to the International Space Station (ISS). Boeing has developed a new parachute system and removed nearly a mile of flammable tape from the spacecraft in preparation for the mission.
This will mark Boeing’s first crewed trip to the ISS and the first Starliner launch since an uncrewed test flight in 2022. The aerospace giant is under a $4.3 billion contract with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
While NASA has mainly relied on SpaceX for transporting astronauts to the ISS, the agency is looking to collaborate with both SpaceX and Boeing. A successful mission for Starliner would allow NASA to have multiple commercial partners for orbital trips.
In a recent setback, Russia had to abort a launch of three astronauts, including a NASA astronaut, due to technical issues. This highlights the importance of having reliable options for space travel.
For more updates on spaceflight, readers are encouraged to follow Gizmodo and bookmark their dedicated Spaceflight page for ongoing information. Stay tuned for more developments on Boeing’s upcoming Starliner launch.
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