After a nearly month-long delay, NASA and its mission partners say it’s almost time to send two astronauts to the International Space Station for the Boeing Crew Flight Test. The historic launch, which was originally scrapped for May 6 and June 1 and postponed many times over time, in between, will mark the first time humans will fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Here’s everything you need to know about the historic Starliner mission launching Wednesday. >>> Click here to view live feeds. About the Mission: This mission will see two NASA astronauts travel to the International Space Station in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which will sit atop United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket. Officials say it will take about a week for the astronauts to get there. The purpose of the mission is to test the Starliner spacecraft and its subsystems, including maneuvering and docking, before NASA can certify the spacecraft for rotational missions. When is the launch? The Starliner mission will launch Wednesday at 10:52 a.m. 5 June. Where is the launch? The launch of the Atlas V rocket and Starliner spacecraft will take place from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Who are the astronauts? The Boeing Crew Flight Test will mark the first time people will travel aboard the Starliner, which has flown in the past without passengers. Two experienced NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will be on board. Wilmore will be the mission commander and has been an astronaut for NASA since July 2000. He is a veteran of two space flights. will be the pilot of the mission and has been a NASA astronaut since 1998. She is a veteran of two space missions. Both astronauts headed home after the mission’s many delays, but returned to Central Florida last week for the scrapped June 1 launch attempt. At last check on Wednesday morning, the two astronauts were in place in the spacecraft. If all goes according to plan, the two will spend eight days on the International Space Station. Why was the mission postponed? When the original scrub was called on May 6, officials cited the cause as a mechanical problem with “a self-regulating liquid oxygen electromagnetic relief valve on the Centaur upper stage” on the Atlas V rocket. Officials rolled the rocket back to the vertical integration facility at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and successfully replaced the pressure control valve, which prevents the oxygen tank from building up too much pressure. The launch was moved to May 17 to allow for more testing, but was postponed to May 21 when Boeing said Starliner teams were working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft’s service module. The launch was then postponed to May 25, when officials announced that they again needed more time to resolve the issue. Ultimately, officials said they would abandon the May 25 launch attempt entirely. The launch was indefinite. on hold until officials said they were prepared for a June 1 launch attempt. Last week, the mission partners asked “go” to proceed with plans for that launch and rolled the Atlas V rocket onto the pad for the first time since the original scrub. On Saturday, the countdown was moving smoothly, when officials suddenly scrubbed the launch just minutes before takeoff. The sudden cleanup was due to the failure of ground support equipment. ULA said their teams worked overnight to identify the problem and were able to replace a faulty power supply system in their ground operations computers. At last check, ULA said the system is now functioning normally after a number of functionality checks. Where can I attend the launch in person? There will be multiple viewing locations to experience the launch of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Some include:Playalinda BeachSpace Launch Complex 1Kennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexMax Brewer BridgePort CanaveralKelly ParkCocoa Beach pierClick here for more information on all in-person viewing locations.Where can I watch the launch online?WESH 2 will stream the full launch from wesh.com, our free WESH 2 app and on the WESH Facebook. The free WESH 2 app is available in the iTunes App Store for iOS devices and in the Google Play Store for Android devices.
After a nearly monthlong delay, NASA and its mission partners say it’s almost time to send two astronauts to the International Space Station for the Boeing Crew Flight Test.
The historic launch, which was originally canceled on May 6 and June 1 and postponed many times in between, will mark the first time humans will fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Here’s everything you need to know about the historic Starliner mission launching Wednesday.
>>> Click here to view live feeds.
About the mission:
The mission will see two NASA astronauts travel to the International Space Station in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which will sit atop United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket.
Officials say it will take about a week for the astronauts to get there.
The purpose of the mission is to test the Starliner spacecraft and its subsystems, including maneuvering and docking, before NASA can certify the spacecraft for rotational missions.
When is the launch?
The Starliner mission will launch on Wednesday, June 5 at 10:52 am.
Where is the launch?
The launch of the Atlas V rocket and Starliner spacecraft will take place from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Who are the astronauts?
The Boeing Crew Flight Test will mark the first time people will travel aboard Starliner, which has flown without passengers in the past.
Two experienced NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will be on board.
Wilmore will be the mission commander and has been an astronaut for NASA since July 2000. He is a veteran of two space flights.
Williams will pilot the mission and has been a NASA astronaut since 1998. She is a veteran of two space missions.
Both astronauts headed home after the mission’s many delays, but returned to Central Florida last week for the scrapped June 1 launch attempt.
At last check on Wednesday morning, the two astronauts were in place in the spacecraft.
If all goes according to plan, the two will spend eight days on the International Space Station.
Why was the mission postponed?
When the original scrub was called in on May 6, officials cited the cause as a mechanical problem with “a self-regulating liquid oxygen electromagnetic relief valve on the Centaur upper stage” on the Atlas V rocket.
Officials rolled the rocket back to the vertical integration facility on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and successfully replaced the pressure control valve, which prevents the oxygen tank from building up too much pressure.
The launch was moved to May 17 to allow for more testing, but was postponed until May 21 when Boeing said Starliner teams were working to resolve a small helium leak discovered in the spacecraft’s service module.
The launch was then postponed until May 25 when officials announced that they again needed more time to resolve the problem.
Ultimately, officials said they would abandon the May 25 launch attempt entirely.
The launch was suspended indefinitely until officials said they were prepared for a June 1 launch attempt.
Last week, the mission partners asked ‘go’ to proceed with plans for that launch and rolled the Atlas V rocket onto the pad for the first time since the original scrub.
On Saturday, the countdown was moving smoothly, when officials suddenly scrubbed the launch just minutes before takeoff. The sudden brush was due to the failure of ground support equipment.
ULA said their teams worked overnight to identify the problem and were able to replace a faulty power supply system in their ground operations computers.
At last check, ULA said the system is now functioning normally after a number of functionality checks.
Where can I watch the launch in person?
There will be multiple viewing locations to experience the launch of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Some include:
- Playalinda Beach
- Space Launch Complex 1
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
- Max Brouwerbrug
- Port Canaveral
- Kelly Park
- Cocoa Beach Pier
Click here for more information about all personal viewing locations.
Where can I watch the launch online?
WESH 2 will stream the full launch from wesh.com, our free WESH 2 app and on WESH Facebook.
The free WESH 2 app is available in the iTunes App Store for iOS devices and in the Google Play Store for Android devices.