Boeing's inaugural crewed Starliner spacecraft launch postponed due to valve problem.
Rewritten Article:
Starliner's Delayed Lift-Off: A Faulty Valve Stalls the Crew Flight Test
Monday's anticipated launch of NASA's Starliner spacecraft has been postponed yet again. This time, a faulty valve in the rocket's upper stage has been identified as the culprit, pushing the takeoff to no earlier than Friday, May 17, at 6:16 p.m. ET, as reported by SpaceNews.
Boeing's capacity to transport crews and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), part of NASA's $4.3 billion Commercial Crew Program, has so far been elusive. NASA's other partner, SpaceX, has already dispatched eight crews to the space station, while Boeing is still in the doldrums.
In a recent press conference, NASA announced that the Starliner's Crew Flight Test is now scheduled for Friday, pending resolution of the identified valve issue, which centers on the Centaur rocket rather than the Starliner capsule itself. The Centaur upper stage had been filled with liquid oxygen hours before the proposed launch on Monday, when ULA disclosed that the launch had been cancelled due to an issue with a liquid oxygen self-regulating solenoid relief valve on the Centaur. This valve regulates the flow and pressure of liquid oxygen in the rocket's upper stage.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, initially slated for the mission, vacated the Starliner spacecraft and the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, on Monday, and returned to NASA's Kennedy Space Center crew quarters.
The Starliner spacecraft has suffered a sequence of issues since its inception. The Crewed Flight Test is just the latest in a series of technical mishaps that have plagued the program since its inception, although this time, it's not Boeing that's dropped the ball; it's ULA's Centaur that's causing the delay. But the Centaur is an exceptionally dependable rocket, making this delay especially unexplained.
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Enrichment Data:
- Boeing Starliner's Crew Flight Test (CFT): This mission has faced numerous technical issues and delays throughout its development. Here's an overview:
- Contract Award and Funding: In 2014, NASA granted Boeing a $4.2 billion contract to develop the Starliner as part of the Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX received $2.6 billion for the Crew Dragon[2].
- Initial Planned Operational Date: The initial planned operational date was missed due to various development issues[2].
- Early Flight Tests: In December 2019, the first uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT-1) failed to reach the correct orbit and could not dock with the ISS due to software issues[2][5]. A second uncrewed test, OFT-2, conducted in May 2022, was generally successful, despite a few thruster failures during orbital insertion[2].
- Crew Flight Test Issues: On June 5, 2024, the first crewed Starliner mission launched, carrying astronauts Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the ISS. The mission, initially intended as an eight-day mission, was significantly hampered by multiple propulsion issues[3][5].
- Thruster Malfunctions: On approach to the ISS, several RCS thrusters malfunctioned. Despite difficult conditions, the crew managed to dock following remote interventions by NASA Mission Control[5].
- Helium Leaks: Five helium leaks were detected, adding to the mission's complications[2][5].
- Return and Post-Mission Analysis: Due to safety concerns, NASA opted not to utilize Starliner for the crew's return, extending their stay on the ISS[5]. The uncrewed Starliner landed safely at White Sands, New Mexico, on September 6, 2024[3]. On March 18, 2025, Wilmore and Williams returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, marking the first instance of NASA astronauts using distinct spacecraft for launch and return[5].
- Current Status and Future Plans: NASA and Boeing are conducting an extensive analysis and testing to resolve the technical issues encountered during the CFT. Their plan includes advanced propulsion system tests and possible hardware updates[4]. Their aim is to achieve crew certification for Starliner by late 2025 or early 2026, with the next flight likely to be a post-certification crew mission[4].
- The faulty valve in the Boeing Starliner's Centaur rocket, a vital component of the upper stage, has once again postponed the Crew Flight Test.
- The Future of Boeing's capacity to transport astronauts to the International Space Station is still uncertain, as the Starliner spacecraft faces yet another delay due to technology issues.
- NASA's press conference revealed that the Starliner's Crew Flight Test is now scheduled for no earlier than Friday, May 17, to address the pressure-related issues with the Centaur's liquid oxygen self-regulating solenoid relief valve.
- Despite the Boeing Starliner's troubled history with technical mishaps and delays, the Centaur rocket, typically a dependable technology in the realm of space, has caused the latest setback in the program's integration with the ISS.
