The crew for the inaugural Boeing Starliner space mission arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday. They are preparing for the spacecraft’s first manned mission, scheduled for May 6.
NASA has chosen veteran astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams to serve as commander and pilot, respectively, for the Crew Flight Test mission to the International Space Station.
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The Boeing CST-100 Starliner is scheduled for launch on May 6, riding atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The CFT mission has faced a delay of approximately four years due to various issues with the Starliner. Although Wilmore and Williams mentioned that those issues have been successfully resolved, they anticipate the possibility of encountering new challenges during the 11-day mission prior to launch.
“We don’t expect it to go perfectly. This is the first time humans will be flying in this spacecraft. I’m sure we’ll learn a lot,” Wilmore said as he and Williams landed on the tarmac in a two-seat T-38 jet used for training.
“We do this for a reason. This flight is a test, and in tests, it’s expected to encounter challenges. We anticipate finding areas for improvement.”
Boeing and NASA have undertaken two previous uncrewed flights to establish procedures for the upcoming crewed launch and thoroughly test them using flight simulators.
SpaceX has successfully transported 50 individuals to space on 13 missions using its fleet of Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, two companies have been awarded contracts to ensure the continuation of U.S.-based space travel after the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Boeing has secured a $4.2 billion contract for its Starliner spacecraft, while SpaceX, which has achieved greater success, has been awarded a $2.6 billion contract.
Wilmore stated on Thursday that it is now the Starliner’s moment to shine.
“We are fully prepared and ready to embark on this mission. The spacecraft has undergone thorough testing and is in optimal condition. Additionally, our dedicated teams have put in extensive effort to ensure that everything is set for a successful journey,” he confidently stated.
During its eight-day stay aboard the ISS, Boeing’s CFT mission aims to conduct tests on the docking backup systems during approach and landing operations for the return to Earth.
If the CFT flight goes well, Starliner’s first operational mission, Starliner-1, is scheduled to launch in early 2025. The mission will involve a six-month stay aboard the ISS.
NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, will be onboard Starliner-1.
Boeing has been awarded a contract for six crew rotation missions until the International Space Station (ISS) is expected to conclude operations in 2030. As part of the agreement, SpaceX and Boeing will each have the opportunity to conduct one mission per year until the ISS is decommissioned.
