In a milestone achievement, Boeing launched NASA astronauts for the first time on Wednesday, establishing itself as a second taxi service for the space agency alongside SpaceX. Onboard the Starliner capsule were Indian-origin NASA pilot Sunita "Suni" Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore. The duo took off from Cape Canaveral and are expected to reach the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, where they will spend just over a week.
This crewed launch comes after years of delays and technical issues. Boeing faced several setbacks due to stringent spacecraft regulations and ongoing safety concerns with their aircraft. The Wednesday launch was the third attempt since early May, following two separate rocket-related problems and a minor helium leak in the spacecraft's propulsion system. Despite the leak, managers determined it was not a safety threat and proceeded with the launch.
Half an hour after liftoff, Williams and Wilmore successfully reached orbit and began their journey to the ISS. The launch controllers at Cape Canaveral, visibly relieved, stood and applauded as the mission proceeded without any issues.
The path to this launch was fraught with challenges. In 2019, Starliner's first test flight without a crew was marred by software problems, necessitating a repeat test in 2022. While the second test flight was more successful, it revealed new issues, including parachute problems and the need to remove flammable tape from the capsule.
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