The highly anticipated first crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner capsule has been delayed, much to the disappointment of space enthusiasts. The mission, known as Crew Flight Test, was originally set for mid-April but has now been rescheduled for early May due to scheduling conflicts with the International Space Station.
The mission will mark a significant milestone for Boeing and NASA, as astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to travel to the ISS for a 10-day stay aboard the Starliner capsule. However, technical issues have plagued the mission, including problems with suspension lines and flammable tape on the capsule, which led to the postponement of the launch from last July to this spring.
Boeing has been diligently working on the development of the Starliner under a contract with NASA signed back in 2014. The spacecraft has already completed two uncrewed test flights to the ISS, with the first mission encountering difficulties but the second one proving successful.
In comparison, rival company SpaceX, which also received a contract from NASA in 2014, has completed eight operational astronaut missions to the ISS, with the most recent being Crew-8 in March. Despite the setbacks, Boeing remains hopeful that the upcoming Crew Flight Test will pave the way for future successful missions and collaborations with NASA. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting space mission.
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