Due to a technical glitch related to a helium leak in the rocket’s service module, NASA has announced that the first crewed launch to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed once more. The launch, originally scheduled for Tuesday in Florida, has been rescheduled for May 25th to address the issue.
Just earlier this month, a Starliner launch faced a last-minute postponement due to another technical snag, with astronauts already strapped in. “The additional time allows teams to further assess” the helium leak, NASA stated on its website.
The two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are currently staying in Houston, Texas while waiting for the mission to be ready. This latest setback adds to the already prolonged wait for the much-anticipated mission, which has been plagued by years of delays.
The timing couldn’t be more challenging for Boeing, with safety concerns swirling around its commercial aviation division, a stalwart of aerospace innovation for over a century. Meanwhile, the success of the Starliner mission is crucial for NASA as it aims to certify a second commercial vehicle for transporting crews to the ISS. SpaceX, under Elon Musk’s leadership, achieved this milestone back in 2020 with its Dragon capsule, effectively breaking nearly a decade-long reliance on Russian rockets following the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program.
