Boeing Starliner 1st astronaut flight: Mission updates
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Boeing first-ever Starliner astronaut mission for NASA landed early on Sept. 7 at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico to end a mission that ultimately left its two-astronaut crew in orbit on the International Space Station after delays.
The Starliner Crew Flight Test launched from Space Launch Complex 41 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 5. It landed without a crew at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico due to concerns over thruster issues seen during the flight. Follow our live updates of the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission here from launch to landing!
Starliner Landing Video | Meet the Crew | All about Starliner | Boeing
Starliner astronauts arrive at launch site
The two NASA astronauts who will fly on Boeing's first crewed Starliner spacecraft have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for their historic launch to the International Space Station on June 1.
Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Sunita Williams landed their NASA T-38 supersonic jet at the space center's Launch and Landing Facility after a short flight from Houston's Ellington Field near the Johnson Space Center.
The astronauts will launch to the ISS on Boeing's Starliner and an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station near KSC. Their one-week mission to the ISS is a final shakedown cruise for Boeing's Starliner to prove it is ready for operational NASA crew flights. At the end of the mission, Starliner will parachute to Earth and make a land-based landing in the southwestern United States.
1st Starliner astronauts finish dress rehearsal before May 6 launch
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finished a big dress rehearsal before their historic launch upon Boeing Starliner no earlier than May 6, agency officials said Friday (April 26) hours after the rehearsal finished.
"Wilmore and Williams completed a series of launch day milestones including suiting up, working in a flight deck simulator, and operating the same software that will be used during the launch," NASA officials wrote in a blog post on Friday (April 26).
The rehearsal took place at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida and included a countdown procedure with the Starliner spacecraft, which is on top of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will carry it to the International Space Station (ISS).
The one-week Crew Flight Test passed its latest flight readiness review with NASA on Thursday (April 25). CFT, the first Starliner mission with astronauts, aims to certify the spacecraft for six-month missions to the ISS that may start as soon as 2025. Read more about Starliner being "go for launch" here at Space.com.
Boeing Starliner astronauts 1 week away from launch
NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams finished a big dress rehearsal for their Boeing Starliner mission on Friday (April 26) near their launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Their quarantined training continues for a scheduled May 6 liftoff to the International Space Station, one week from today.
Williams and Wilmore also recently performed a video tour of one of their simulators, called the Boeing Mission Trainer, to demonstrate procedures for launch and landing. The simulator is housed at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Their mission, Crew Flight Test, passed its latest flight readiness review on Thursday (April 25), although as with all launches, safety and weather checks will continue all the way through the time it lifts off. The mission is expected to last about a week to certify future half-year operational excursions, starting with Starliner-1 in 2025.
Read more: Boeing Starliner astronauts conduct dress rehearsal ahead of May 6 launch (photos, video)
Starliner launch schedule released for May 6 launch
NASA has released its launch schedule for Boeing Starliner's historic first flight with astronauts, which will take place no earlier than Monday (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both former U.S. Navy test pilots, will fly their mission to the International Space Station for approximately a week to certify Starliner for future half-year missions. They will also be the first astronauts to ride aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s Atlas V rocket. Liftoff will take place from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Orlando, Florida.
Coverage will run live here at Space.com, via NASA Television. All major events for Starliner's flight are listed below. Timings for events below are in EDT.
Wednesday, May 1
1:30 p.m. – Virtual news conference at Kennedy with the flight test astronauts:
Friday, May 3
12:30 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference at Kennedy (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
3:30 p.m. – NASA Social panel live stream event at Kennedy with the following participants:
Monday, May 6
6:30 p.m. – Launch coverage begins.
10:34 p.m. – Launch.
Tuesday, May 7
12 a.m. – Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
Starliner astronauts hold last press conference before May 6 launch
The first two NASA astronauts to fly aboard Boeing Starliner, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams, will have a press conference with reporters from their quarantine at the agency's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) near Orlando, Florida.
The virtual news conference will run live on NASA Television at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) and will be streamed here at Space.com if possible.
The astronauts' mission, Crew Flight Test or CFT, will also see Wilmore and Williams (both former U.S. Navy test pilots) become the first humans to fly on board the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. Launch is scheduled for May 6 at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7).
CFT is expected to last a bit over a week and will include a stay at the International Space Station (ISS). Alongside ground controllers, Williams and Wilmore will perform a check of all major spacecraft systems ahead of certifying Starliner for six-month excursions to space.
Boeing will then join SpaceX as a provider of astronaut spacecraft for ISS missions. Read more about why NASA wants two companies sending astronauts to space in this Space.com story.
What to expect during Boeing Starliner's May 6 astronaut flight
After years of delays, it's finally here: The first crewed flight test of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
Starliner is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 16 at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7). The event will be livestreamed here at Space.com, via NASA Television.
But what exactly will happen before, during and after the launch? Space.com's Elizabeth Howell, who will be on location for Starliner's first astronaut launch, breaks down the key milestones in terms of what to expect during Boeing Starliner's test flight on May 6.
Related: Here's what to expect during Boeing Starliner's 1st astronaut test flight on May 6
Boeing Starliner was delayed years. Here's why
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is finally on the verge of making its first crewed flight.
Starliner has had a hard road to get rated for crewed flight, including years of delays and an unsuccessful first uncrewed flight test in 2019 in which the spacecraft did not reach the ISS as planned.
So how did Starliner get here, despite its numerous setbacks? Read our full coverage to get up to speed with what makes Starliner's Crew Flight Test mission currently scheduled for Monday (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT on May 7) such a historic moment.
Related: Boeing's Starliner is ready to fly astronauts after years of delay. Here's what took so long.
What's next for Boeing Starliner after 1st crew flight test?
The first crew flight test of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is just days away.
After years of development, NASA and Boeing are set to introduce another option for accessing low Earth orbit with Starliner. But what exactly will the Starliner program look like after the crew flight test on May 6?
Read our full coverage where we break down what's next for Starliner, including its first operational mission to the International Space Station in 2025.
Related: What's next for Boeing Starliner after its 1st crew flight test?
Read more: Their other vehicle is the Starliner: Boeing's 1st crew to ride Astrovan II to the launch pad
1 day until historic Boeing Starliner launch with astronauts
Launch day for the debut Boeing Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to be no earlier than tomorrow (May 6). The instantaneous launch window opens at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT on Tuesday, May 7) and you can watch the historic International Space Station (ISS) mission live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA Television.
An Atlas V rocket rolled out to its launch pad on Saturday (May 4), also Star Wars Day, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The stack includes both the United Launch Alliance booster and Starliner.
The mission, called Crew Flight Test (CFT), will send two veteran NASA astronauts and former U.S. Navy test pilots aloft: Butch Wilmore will command the mission and Suni Williams will be the pilot. The duo are quarantining at the nearby Kennedy Space Center.
Read more: Boeing Starliner rolls out to launch pad for 1st astronaut flight on May 6 (photos)
Starliner launch on track for tonight
The long awaited liftoff of Boeing's Starliner will launch this evening (May 6), carrying NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Willmore and Sunita "Sunni" Williams, on the spacecraft's first crewed flight.
Liftoff for Starliner's crewed flight test (CFT) is set for an instantaneous launch window at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT on Tuesday, May 7), from Launch Complex-41 (LC-41), at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in Florida. The spacecraft will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, and will rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) May 8, at 12:48 a.m. EDT (0648 GMT).
The mission, designed as a final shake-down cruise for Starliner, will remain docked with the ISS for about 10 days while Wilmore and Williams test the spacecraft's systems, before returning to Earth.
You can watch the historic mission from launch, ISS rendezvous, and return live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA Television.
Where will Boeing's Starliner launch will be visible from?
Even if you can't make it out to Florida's space coast to see the first astronaut launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the rocket in flight.
United Launch Alliance (ULA), whose mighty Atlas V rocket will launch NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore on the first crew flight test of Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft, released a visibility map on X showing the locations in Florida from where the launch might be visible.
ULA's Atlas V rocket is scheduled to lift off on Monday (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. (0234 GMT on May 7) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Watch it live here courtesy of NASA starting at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT).
Related: How to watch Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut launch tonight live online
Read more: Boeing Starliner 1st astronaut flight: Live updates
NASA Television coverage begins
NASA's coverage of Boeing Starliner is live! You can follow all updates via our home page at Space.com. Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7).
This mission, known as Crew Flight Test, aims to be the first to send astronauts to the International Space Station. On board are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Crew Flight Test astronauts walk out to Astrovan II
Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both of NASA and both former U.S. Navy test pilots, are about to do their walk out to the Airstream Astrovan II for their ride to Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Launch of the first Boeing Starliner mission with astronauts is scheduled for tonight (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT Tuesday, May 7) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Crew Flight Test astronauts finish walkout
Crew Flight Test NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now out of their quarantine facility, fully ready in their spacesuits, and doing crew walkout. They will soon be on their way to the launch pad shortly via the Airstream Astrovan II for their ride to Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Launch of the first Boeing Starliner mission with astronauts is scheduled for tonight (May 6) at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT Tuesday, May 7) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Crew Flight Test astronauts enter spacecraft
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, of Crew Flight Test, have started ingress of their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 GMT May 7) and is set to be the first Starliner mission with astronauts on board.
Launch scrubbed
Crew Flight Test is scrubbed for tonight, United Launch Alliance announced on its Twitter feed.
"ULA Launch Director Tom Heter III has made the decision to the launch team that launch operations will not continue tonight for #AtlasV and #Starliner."
More information to come.
Boeing Starliner scrubbed due to rocket valve issue
Boeing's new commercial spacecraft, Starliner, waved off its first launch attempt late tonight (May 6) due to a problem with an "oxygen relief valve on the Centaur Stage on the Atlas V," NASA posted on X. Atlas V, the flight's rocket manufactured by United Launch Alliance, has flown missions since 2002 with a 100 percent success rate, but this is its first mission with astronauts.
"The engineering team has evaluated the vehicle is not in a configuration where we can proceed with flight today," an official in Mission Control said in a callout broadcast on NASA Television roughly two hours and one minute before the scheduled launch at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0024 GMT May 7).
Read more: Boeing Starliner team delays 1st historic astronaut launch due to rocket issue
NASA briefing on Starliner launch scrub
NASA will hold a press conference on tonight's Boeing Starliner astronaut launch scrub at 10:30 p.m. EDT (0230 May 7 GMT). You'll be able to watch it live at the top of this page at start time.
"NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance will host a news conference at 10:30 p.m. EDT to discuss Monday’s scrubbed launch attempt of the agency’s Crew Flight Test due to a faulty oxygen relief valve observation on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Centaur second stage," NASA officials wrote in an update. "NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams exited the Starliner spacecraft at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and returned to astronaut crew quarters."
ULA eyes 'buzzing' valve swap for 2nd Starliner launch try
Untied Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno told reporters late Monday that ULA engineers are studying a "buzzing" liquid oxygen pressure relief valve on the Atlas V rocket's Centaur upper stage to determine if it needs to be replaced -- a finding that will determine when the next launch try of Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut mission could fly.
During tonight's scrubbed launch, ULA engineers detected that the valve was "buzzing" - rapidly opening and closing repeatedly - and ultimately called off the launch. While ULA has seen the valve issue on previous uncrewed satellite launches, the flight rules for Starliner's crewed test forbid cycling the valve to fix it with astronauts aboard.
If the wonky valve needs to be replaced, the earliest Starliner could launch its Crew Flight Test mission would be Sunday, May 12, Bruno said. If not, the mission could potentially aim for Tuesday, May 7, at 10:11 p.m. ET or Friday, May 10, at 9 pm ET.
Engineers are expected to know more on the road ahead for Starliner and the Atlas V early Tuesday.
Starliner's first crewed launch delayed to no earlier than Friday (May 10)
It will take a few days to work through the valve issue that scrubbed the first astronaut mission of Boeing's Starliner capsule, a test mission to the International Space Station called Crew Flight Test (CFT).
CFT was supposed to launch on Monday night (May 6). That attempt was called off about two hours before the planned liftoff, however, due to an issue with a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank in the upper stage of Starliner's rocket ride, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V. Early on Tuesday morning (May 7), NASA announced that launch teams need more time to troubleshoot the issue. The earliest that CFT could launch is now Friday night (May 10), at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT on May 11).
Crewed Starliner launch delayed to no earlier than May 17, rocket rolling back for repairs
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will have to wait another 10 days for their launch to the International Space Station (ISS). United Launch Alliance (ULA) is moving forward with the replacement of a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank in the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage, which caused a scrub of Monday night's (May 6) Starliner launch. Monday's attempt to launch Starliner's crewed flight test (CFT) was called off about two ours before the scheduled liftoff, and initially retargeted a new launch date of May 10.
Now, ULA will roll Starliner and its Atlas V launch vehicle back to the company's vertical integration facility tomorrow (May 8), where the second stage valve will be replaced, NASA announced in a blog post. The May 17 launch attempt is scheduled for an instantaneous launch window at 6:16 p.m. EDT (1016 GMT).
1st astronaut launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft just 3 days away
The first crewed launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is just three days away, if current timelines hold.
Starliner's first launch attempt on May 6 was delayed due to a valve issue on its rocket ride. United Launch Alliance rolled its Atlas V rocket back to an assembly building at Cape Canaveral Space Force to replace the valve on May 8.
The next launch attempt is now scheduled for 6:16 p.m. EDT (2216 GMT) on Friday (May 17). You can watch the launch live here at Space.com.
Related: Boeing's Starliner rolled off launch pad to replace 'buzzing' rocket valve (photo)
Boeing Starliner crew flight test delayed to May 21
We'll have to wait a little longer for the first crew flight test of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
After the first launch attempt on May 8 was scrubbed due to a valve issue on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket that will launch Starliner, Boeing announced today that teams are now "targeting a launch date of no earlier than 4:43 p.m. EDT (2043 GMT) on Tuesday, May 21, to complete additional testing."
When it launches, Starliner will carry NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams to the International Space Station for a seven-day test flight. You can watch the launch live here when the time comes.
Related: Boeing's Starliner rolled off launch pad to replace 'buzzing' rocket valve (photo)
NASA, Boeing provide update on June 1 Starliner launch target
NASA and Boeing are providing an update to reporters at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT) about the new target launch date of June 1 for Starliner, along with information on how fixes are proceeding on the spacecraft. You can tune in live on our website, and keep following for updates on the situation.
Boeing and ULA on track for June 1 launch for NASA
Boeing and ULA are moving progressing toward a June 1 launch of the first crewed flight test (CFT) of the Starliner spacecraft. Liftoff atop an Atlas V rocket, from ULA's Launch Complex-41, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, is scheduled for this Saturday, at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). According to a May 28 update from Boeing and ULA, Saturday's forecast currently shows a 90 percent chance of favorable weather conditions Starliner's upcoming launch window.
Weather looks 90% favorable for 1st Starliner launch on June 1
According to the most recent forecast on May 31, there is still a 90% chance of favorable weather for the first Crew Flight Test of Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft.
Starliner will liftoff atop an Atlas V rocket from ULA's Launch Complex-41, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams will ride Starliner to the International Space Station.
"High pressure dominates the Central Florida weather, bringing breezy, easterly winds and dry, stable air to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for the launch opportunity," United Launch Alliance (ULA) wrote on its website on Friday (May 31).
Launch is scheduled for this Saturday, June 1, at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). Watch it live here courtesy of ULA.
Related: Boeing's Starliner rolls out to pad for June 1 astronaut launch (photos)
Fueling is underway ahead of Starliner's first crewed launch
Fueling is nearly complete for the Atlas V rocket poised to launch the first crewed mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Atlas V's engines are powered with 48,800 gallons (184,730 liters) of super-chilled liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene, and 12,300 gallons (46,560 liters) of liquid hydrogen for the Dual Engine Centaur upper stage.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will soon depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, and make the short drive to LC-41 to board Starliner ahead of this afternoon's 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT) liftoff.
Related: The ISS has a urine pump problem. Boeing's Starliner astronaut launch will flush it out.
Starliner astronauts headed to the launchpad
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, where the duo performed suit leak checks ahead of this afternoon's crewed Starliner launch. They will make the short drive to United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Launch Copmlex-41(LC-41) to board Starliner ahead of the12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT) instantaneous launch window. The trip to orbit will take approximately 31 minutes, with Starliner's service module executing the spacecraft's final orbital insertion burn. NASA is livestreaming today's launch activities, which you can watch here, at Space.com
Starliner crew strapped in and ready to launch
Now less than three hours before liftoff, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are strapped into Boeing's Starliner spacecraft ahead of the scheduled launch for the Crewed Flight Test (CFT) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The pair will continue their prelaunch checklist before the hatch to Starliner will be shut and sealed as the countdown to liftoff ticks away.
Valve issues with the Atlas Centaur upper stage
Two valves associated with propellant loading ground support systems, responsible in part for topping off propellant in the liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks in the Atlas Centaur second stage, are experiencing an apparent communications issue between with launch control, causing mission operators to begin assessment for a corrective action. With two hours before liftoff, the decision was made to cease topping off the tanks in the rocket's second stage as the problem is worked out. Mission operators are testing a redundancy system in order to circumvent the problem.
Today's launch is scheduled for an instantaneous liftoff window at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). Should the valve problem persist to the point that window becomes unviable, backup attempts are scheduled for tomorrow, June 5 and June 6.
Valve issue circumvented
Propellant topping has resumed for the liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks inside the Atlas Centaur upper stage. After testing a fix, engineers determined the issue was with the primary telemetry stream, not the valves themselves, and decided to switch the valve data stream to a redundant system. Now, as the countdown clock continues, mission operators are working to close the Starliner hatch ahead of launch.
Boeing Starliner hatch closed, access arm cleared
The closeout crew for Boeing's first crewed Starliner launch on an Atlas V rocket is leaving the launch pad after closing the Starliner hatch and moving its Crew Access Arm clear of the capsule.
Starliner and its Atlas V rocket sit atop Space Launch Complex-41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida with liftoff still targeted for 12:25 p.m. EDT. We are just over 30 minutes away from launch, with the weather forecast to be 90% GO at launch time.
Starliner CFT astronauts close helmets for launch
Starliner CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have closed their Boeing spacesuit helmets for launch as they entire their final 20 minutes before liftoff.
United Launch Alliance flight controllers reported an errant temperature sensor reading in a sensor that won't be needed for launch, so it's been deactivated a bit earlier than planned and poses no issue for liftoff. The launch remains on track for 12:25 pm ET (1625 GMT).
ULA, Boeing work through Starliner suit fan glitch
Starliner CFT commander Butch Wilmore has reported a suit fan warning light and launch controllers are now working to swap suit fan systems to a backup, with the crew told to open their helmet visors, even as they are less than 11 minutes to launch.
Starliner Access Arm retracted, suit fan glitch fixed
The Starliner Crew Access Arm has been moved clear of the Starliner capsule. Meanwhile, the flight control team appears to have cleared the spacesuit fan glitch and CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have closed their visors for launch once more.
HOLD! Starliner launch countdown halted
Starliner's launch director has called a hold at the T-3 minutes, 50 seconds mark, likely scrubbing today's launch attempt due to its instantaneous window.
We're awaiting word on the exact nature of the hold, although audio from Launch Control did state that a launch control switch was not ready. Awaiting details
Starliner back on external power after launch hold
Starliner CFT launch control reports that the Starliner spacecraft is back on external power while the countdown is halted at T-3 minutes, 50 seconds.
The Crew Access Arm has been swiveled back to the Starliner capsule.
If Starliner is unable to launch today, Boeing does have a backup day on Sunday, June 2, at 12:03 p.m. EDT (1603 GMT) if ULA and Boeing are able to clear the issue in time.
SCRUB! Starliner launch attempt called off
United Launch Alliance has called an official scrub while engineers work to understand why a Ground Launch Sequencer called an automatic hold 3 minutes and 50 seconds before liftoff.
There will be no Starliner launch today.
Boeing and ULA may attempt another launch try on Sunday, June 2, if they can clear the issue in time.
Starliner astronauts egress spacecraft after scrub
Following today's scrub of Boeing's first crewed Starliner launch, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have now exited their spacecraft. After safing the launch vehicle and ground infrastructure, mission operators configured the launch tower at LC-41 to reopen Starliner's hatch and assist the astronauts' egress from the space capsule. They have now been transported back to their quarters at the Kennedy Space Center's Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, remaining in quarantine as they await Starliner's next launch attempt.
Related: Launch of Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut test flight aborted minutes before liftoff (video)
Faulty computer card suspected in Starliner abort
Tory Bruno, CEO of the United Launch Alliance, told reporters that a faulty computer card appears to have led to today's Starliner launch abort minutes before liftoff. The card is in one of several computers that form the ground launch sequencer system that governs the final phase of its Atlas V rocket countdown. Solving the problem may be as simple as just replacing the computer card, which can be done once pad crews can safely approach the pad after the Atlas V has been emptied of propellant and made safe, a process that will take several hours.
If the fix is that simple, then Starliner's next launch will be set for Sunday, July 2, at 12:03 p.m. EDT (1603 GMT), with NASA's livestream of the launch beginning around 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT). NASA's Steve Stitch said the agency will make an announcement later Saturday afternoon or evening on the launch plan.
Meanwhile, the team is working hard despite the setback of a launch abort today, Stitch added.
"It's disappointing. Everybody's a little disappointed but you kind of roll your sleeves up and get right back to work."
NASA says Starliner launch delayed to June 5
Boeing's next attempt to launch its first Starliner astronaut mission will occur no earlier than June 5, NASA officials said this afternoon.
In an emailed statement to reporters, NASA said that the agency, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance will skip a launch opportunity on June 2 and await the next window on June 5. Liftoff is now set for Wednesday, June 5, at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT).
"Saturday's launch was to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the International Space Station scrubbed due to an observation of a ground launch sequencer. The system was unsuccessful in verifying the sequencer’s necessary redundancy," NASA officials wrote in an update.
"NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are forgoing a Crew Flight Test launch attempt Sunday, June 2, to give the team additional time to assess a ground support equipment issue at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida," NASA added. "ULA will assess the ground support equipment overnight, and NASA will provide an update June 2 on next steps for the flight. The next available launch opportunities are Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6."
Starliner go for launch on June 5
The first crewed mission aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft is proceeding towards launch on Wednesday (June 5) after a computer issue in the ground launch sequencer system scrubbed the previous launch attempt with just minutes left in the countdown.
"Teams at NASA and Boeing Space confirmed on Monday that the Starliner spacecraft, ULA Atlas V rocket, and ground support equipment are healthy and ready for the 10:52 a.m. ET June 5 launch of the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test," NASA's Commercial Crew program wrote on X on Monday (June 3).
The U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45 has predicted a 90% chance of favorable weather at launch, which occurs at 10:52 a.m. ET (1452 GMT). Watch it live here courtesy of NASA.
Related: Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut launch aborted minutes before liftoff (video)
Fueling has begun!
The ULA team has begun filing the Centaur upper stage with liquid oxygen. About 4,150 gallons of liquid oxygen will be loaded into the Dual Engine Centaur for its mission to accelerate Starliner to space.
Starliner is scheduled to launch today at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT). You can watch it here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA.
Starliner astronauts suit up for launch, rocket fueled
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are suiting up for their launch on Boeing's Starliner Crewed Flight Test mission today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT). Wilmore (commander) and Williams (pilot) are donning their blue Boeing-issue spacesuits in NASA's checkout buidling.
Meanwhile, United Launch Alliance has completed the fueling operations for the Starliner crew's Atlas V rocket. Currently, all systems are operating as expected with a 90% chance of good weather, with cumulus clouds posing the only potential threat to launch.
Starliner astronauts head to launch pad
Starliner Crewed Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are headed to their Starliner Atlas V rocket launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The two astronauts walked out of NASA's Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center with broad smiles, waves and roses as they bid farewell to friends and loved ones ahead of their flight.
Before leaving for the pad, Wilmore (Starliner's commander) and Williams (the pilot) did battle with NASA Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba (a teacher-turned-spaceflyer) in a series of games. By tradition, astronaut crews have to beat the chief astronaut at those games before leaving for the pad. They appeared to tackle trials of arm wrestling and Rock, Paper, Scissors for this go around.
Starliner's CFT mission will be the third career spaceflight for both Williams and Wilmore.
Starliner astronauts board capsule
Boeing's Starliner close-out crew is strapping NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore into the commander's seat of the Starliner Crew Flight Test capsule as the countdown continues for today's 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT) launch. Pilot Sunita Williams will follow Wilmore into the capsule from the White Room connected to the Starliner hatch shortly.
Starliner astronauts settle into capsule
Boeing's Starliner close-out crew has fully strapped in NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams for today's launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A weather briefing is under way ahead of hatch closure for the Starliner spacecraft. So far, weather has looked promising, with a pristine 90% chance of good conditions to launch.
Starliner hatch closed for launch
The hatch to Boeing's Starliner Crewed Flight Test capsule has been closed for launch as the countdown continues for Boeing's historic first astronaut launch for NASA at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT).
Cabin pressurization is under way.
One hour to Starliner astronaut Launch
Boeing is now T-1 hour away and counting toward the launch of its first Starliner astronaut test flight for NASA at 10:52 am. EDT (1452 GMT).
The countdown has been smooth so far, with the weather continuing to look good for launch.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will spend 25 hours aboard Starliner after launch to reach the International Space Station. Once at the ISS, they'll spend about a week docked at the station performing tests on the spacecraft before returning to Earth for a land landing in the American Southwest. Check out this mission overview below.
30 minutes to Starliner astronaut launch
NASA, Boeing and United Launch Alliance are now less than 30 minutes to Boeing's first Starliner astronaut launch and all systems continue to perform well for today's launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT).
In Houston, NASA's Crew Flight Test director Mike Lamers is preparing to call for a Go-No Go poll to ensure Mission Control is ready for the flight. In Florida, ULA and Boeing's launch director are preparing for their own final poll in the remaining minutes before launch.
Can you see Starliner's launch on Atlas V?
Boeing's 1st Starliner launch is now just over 10 minutes away. If you're along the U.S. souteastern coast of Florida's East Coast, you may be able to see the launch.
Here's a map of visibility for the Starliner Crew Flight Test launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
Starliner Crew Access Arm retracted, Starliner on internal power
The Crew Access Arm has been retracted clear of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket as the countdown progresses for today's Starliner astronaut launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT).
Starliner is now on internal power for the mission. So far, no issues have affected the launch countdown.
Starliner GO for launch!
The Launch Director for today's Boeing Starliner astronaut launch has conducted final GO-NO GO poll for today's launch and it is GO across the board. Starliner is again ready for launch. Just minutes remain before launch.
"Starliner, Go," Crew Flight Test commander Butch Wilmore said from inside the capsule during the test.
"We all know that when the going gets tough, as it often does, the tough get going, and you all have," Wilmore said. "Let's get going, let's put some fire in this rocket. "
"Let's go Calyspo, take us to space and back," pilot Sunita Williams said, referring to the name of the Starliner capsule.
LIFTOFF! Boeing Starliner launches 1st astronauts
STARLINER AWAY! Boeing's first Starliner spacecraft to carry astronauts has lifted off atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and is headed to space.
Liftoff occurred on time at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT).
Starliner Atlas V SRB separation
The Atlas V rocket carrying Boeing's first crewed Starliner spacecraft to orbit has jettisoned its twin solid rocket boosters as the rocket continues its uphill flight toward orbit.
Coming up next is main engine shutdown and first stage separation.
Starliner Atlas V stage separation
ULA's Atlas V rocket has jettisoned its first stage and is now flying under the power of two Centaur upper stage engines as it continues toward orbit.
The protective aeroskirt and docking port cover on the Starliner spacecraft have also been jettisoned. The rocket continues to perform as planned on the trip to space.
Here's more photos of the launch.
Spacecraft Separation! Starliner in Space
The Starliner spacecraft has successfully separated from the Centaur upper stage o its Atlas V rocket, a critical milestone for this Crew Flight Test mission.
The spacecraft is technically not in orbit yet. That milestone will come after an orbital insertion burn scheduled for about 30 minutes after liftoff, or about 11:22 a.m. ET
Starliner in orbit!
Starliner has completed its orbital insertion burn, placing the spacecraft in a stable low-Earth orbit (LEO). Aboard, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now on a coarse to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS), pending minor trajectory burns. Starliner is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Thursday (June 6) around 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT).
Track Boeing's Starliner mission online
NASA is holding a live press conference now about Boeing's Starliner astronaut mission. You can watch it live on NASA TV here.
Also, NASA's Media Channel is showing a live mission coverage of Starliner's progress to the International Space Station. You can follow that live here.
NASA astronauts begin Starliner tests
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are hard at work performing initial tests on the Starliner spacecraft in orbit as they head to the International Space Station.
Butch Wilmore is performing a series of manual flight control tests to see how Starliner handles under astronaut control. Boeing and NASA have about 85 different demonstrations and test to perform over the course of their one-week flight.
"It's really a big checkout day," Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, said in a statement. "And really ,the purpose of this is to learn we can about Starliner."
NASA chief Bill Nelson told reporters that Wilmore and Williams will test Starliner "from izzard to gizzard" during their mission. Space.com Spaceflight editor has the full story in our Starliner post-launch wrap up.
Starliner astronauts prep for ISS docking amid helium leak
It's docking day for Boeing's first Starliner astronaut mission with the spacecraft due to arrive at the International Space Station at 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT) with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams aboard.
The astronauts awoke from their first night in space at 4:30 a.m. EDT (0830 GMT), with Wilmore asking Mission Control for a status on two new helium leaks detected overnight in Starliner's propulsion system.
"We're kind of curious where we stand as far as our leaks. And if we could get a summary on that, that'd be wonderful," Wilmore radioed to the Mission Control
"The big picture that it currently creates is that are we are going to be able to support a rendezvous today," Mission Control's Capcom radioed back.
Flight controllers detected two additional helium leaks to one already known about in Starliner's propulsion system overnight and closed manifolds associated with them. Mission Control reports that all three manifolds should be reopened in time for docking.
Starliner approaches ISS
Flying autonomously, Starliner is completing a series of burns to reach the ellipsoid of the International Space Station (ISS) for proximity operations. This boundary is a four kilometer by two kilometer by a two kilometer invisible sphere around the ISS, which acts as a safety buffer for all incoming and departing spacecraft.
Once the spacecraft has executed an approach corridor initiation burn, it will hold at around 850 feet (260 meters) away from the space station for manual piloting demo. Following, docking is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT), at the station's forward-facing node-2 docking port.
Starliner docking on hold
Starliner is currently station-keeping with the ISS at a distance of about 200 meters away. They do not currently have the 'go' to enter the space station's 'keep-out sphere' and proceed with the docking process, as they troubleshoot an issue with the spacecraft's reaction control system thrusters on the service module, which experienced an anomaly during the manual fly-around maneuver.
Starliner astronauts wave first docking attempt
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have waved off the first docking attempt of their Starliner spacecraft with the Internationals Space Station, due to an anomaly with at least two of the spacecraft service module's reaction control thrusters. The earliest scheduled docking was set for 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT), but that window is no longer available. The next available window begins at 1:33 EDT (1733 GMT). As Starliner remains in a 'hold' position, station-keeping with the ISS at about 200 meters distance, the astronauts continue to fly the spacecraft in manual mode, before switching to an automated maneuvering system ahead of docking procedures.
Related: Boeing Starliner astronauts wave off 1st ISS docking attempt amid thruster issues
Starliner moving ahead to dock
After a test fire of some of Starliner's reaction control system thrusters (RCS), NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now moving toward the forward docking port of the space station's Harmony module. The spacecraft's original docking attempt was waved off after an anomaly in those thrusters was detected, and after troubleshooting, it was determined to be safe to proceed with docking. Starliner is currently being operated autonomously, and will remain in that configuration through docking.
Starliner docks with International Space Station
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has docked to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Soft capture occurred at 1:34 p.m. EDT (1734 GMT) with the forward docking port of space station's Harmony module. Starliner performed the docking autonomously. "At 12:34pm, Central time above the Indian Ocean, we have confirmation of contact and capture of NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test and Starliner aboard the International Space Station. Butch and Suni, have made their arrival," NASA commentators said on the space agency's live stream. A series of docking procedures will now take place as movement between Starliner and the space station dissipates. Starliner's hatch is expected to occur in about an hour, with a short welcome ceremony from the current ISS crew.
Starliner hatch opens, crew welcomed aboard ISS
About two hours following their successful docking, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were given the 'go' to open Starliner's hatch and enter the International Space Station. Wilmore and Suni opened the hatch from inside Starliner, and after some work to stow the spacecraft's hatch for egress, entered the ISS and were greeted by the ringing of a bell by the station's current crew as all seven members of Expedition 71 at 3:45 p.m. EDT (1945 GMT).
Starliner astronauts spend 1st day aboard ISS
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are starting their first full docked day at the International Space Station.
Among their tasks today is to unpack a new urine processing pump for a replacement, NASA officials said. The urine processor was a late addition to Starliner's cargo manifest after the unit on the space station failed earlier this month.
Wilmore and Williams will spend about eight days putting Starliner through a series of tests to help certify it for operational crew missions. "We're looking forward to staying here for a couple of weeks and getting all the things that we need to get done," Wilmore said during a welcome ceremony after Starliner's arrival on June 6.
Related: The ISS has a urine pump problem. Boeing's Starliner astronaut launch will flush it out.
Starliner's 1st flight extended to June 18
The first crew flight test of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft will last a little longer than planned.
Starliner is currently docked at the International Space Station (ISS) while its crew, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, are spending a week aboard the orbital lab testing out the new spacecraft and conducting scientific research in microgravity. A spacewalk planned for June 13 being performed by a different crew aboard the ISS would have overlapped with Starliner's originally scheduled departure time, so NASA has decided to push the mission's ISS departure to June 18.
"The additional time in orbit will allow the crew to perform a spacewalk on Thursday, June 13, while engineers complete #Starliner systems checkouts," NASA ISS officials said on Sunday (June 9) via X.
Read more: Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut mission extended through June 18
NASA keeping an eye on Starliner's helium leaks
As NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams continue to run through planned systems checks of their Starliner spacecraft, the space agency is keeping a watchful eye on the capsule's helium leaks. One leak was detected before launch, but deemed minor enough to proceed with the mission. Now, since its time in space, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has sprung four more helium leaks, though they have also been deemed not to pose a risk to the crew or spacecraft through its return window June 18. "Engineers evaluated the helium supply based on current leak rates and determined that Starliner has plenty of margin to support the return trip from station," NASA officials wrote in a CFT update on Monday (June 10).
Related: NASA weighs potential impacts of helium leaks and more on Boeing's Starliner astronaut test flight
Starliner CFT return now NET June 22
The departure of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft from the space station, with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard, has been pushed back four more days, NASA announced Friday morning (June 14), in a blog post. Starliner's Crew Flight Test (CFT) is now set to return no earlier than (NET) June 22. The extra time, according to NASA, will allow mission teams to finalize departure details and continue to test the on-orbit capabilities of the spacecraft.
In the interim, CFT crew members Wilmore and Williams will perform additional checks on Starliner, including a "hot-fire" test of seven of the spacecraft's eight aft thrusters, hatch operations and "safe haven" drills to utilize Starliner in an emergency. NASA will hold a briefing Tuesday, June 18, to elaborate on Starliner's delay, flight status and landing details.
Starliner's delayed departure will be discussed in livestream today
NASA will talk about the delayed return to Earth of Boeing's Starliner capsule during a press conference today (June 18), and you can listen to it live.
NASA and Boeing representatives will discuss the progress of Starliner's mission at the International Space Station (ISS), which docked June 6 after experiencing several helium leaks and issues with five onboard reaction control system (RCS) thrusters.
The press conference begins at 12 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) and you can listen to it live here at Space.com, via NASA Television.
Read more: NASA and Boeing will discuss Starliner's delayed ISS departure today, and you can listen live
Starliner landing delayed to June 26
Boeing and NASA have decided to delay the planned landing of its first Starliner astronaut test flight to no earlier than Wednesday, June 26, to allow "a little more time to look at the data" due to helium leaks and thruster issues on the spacecraft.
Starliner is now targeted to land at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico at 4:51 a.m. EDT (0951 GMT) on June 26, NASA officials said.
NASA and Boeing are holding a press conference now on Boeing's Starliner mission. You can listen live here:
Will 1st 6-month Starliner ISS mission be delayed after Crew Flight Test finishes?
Boeing's Starliner capsule was delayed again Friday (June 21) in finishing its first International Space Station (ISS) mission with astronauts, with crew including NASA's Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Extra testing still remains ahead of undocking, team officials emphasized; Starliner experienced helium leaks and thruster issues that extended its Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission from an originally planned 10 days after launching June 5. NASA and Boeing have not yet announced a return date for Starliner, saying only it will happen after a July 2 spacewalk.
As a test flight, the unexpected on CFT was in a sense, expected. But there's a key milestone coming up fast: Starliner was expected to start its first operational mission to the ISS in early 2025. Known as Starliner-1, it is manifested to carry at least three astronauts to the ISS for a normal six-month mission.
Related: Will Boeing Starliner issues delay its 1st long-duration astronaut flight? It’s too soon to tell.
NASA, Boeing to talk to reporters at 2 p.m. EDT about Starliner
NASA and Boeing will discuss their next plans and a possible landing schedule for the first Starliner spacecraft mission with astronauts later today (June 28), and you can listen in live.
Boeing Starliner launched on June 5 for what was supposed to be a 10-day mission, but the test effort with astronauts needed extra time to address helium leaks and thruster issues uncovered during the June 6 docking with the International Space Station (ISS). The team will provide an update to reporters at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT), which you can listen to here on Space.com via NASA Television.
NASA will also provide an update on an unexpectedly busy week at ISS. One astronaut had a spacesuit coolant leak during a spacewalk on June 24 that required halting the planned 6.5-hour excursion after only 31 minutes. (The crew was never in any major danger, NASA said at the time.) The Expedition 71 crew also temporarily took shelter in their return spacecraft June 26 after a satellite broke up in low Earth orbit, although the precautionary procedure lasted only an hour.
Read more: Listen live today as NASA, Boeing discuss Starliner return, spacewalk issues
No landing date for Starliner, more tests required
NASA says Boeing Starliner will extend its first astronaut mission well into the summer, after launching June 5 for what was supposed to be a 10-day flight.
Starliner experienced both helium leaks and thruster issues during a June 6 docking with the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft is stable and rated to leave the ISS in case of emergency, Boeing and NASA leadership stress. But after testing the thrusters in space, NASA and Boeing said they want to take more time to understand the root cause.
A test campaign will start as soon as July 2 at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to replicate how the thrusters were used during the flight, NASA commercial crew program manager Steve Stich said during a livestreamed update today (June 28) with reporters. The testing will take approximately two weeks, but that depends on what is found — and more analysis will be required afterwards. As such, NASA and Boeing do not yet have a landing date for Starliner.
"We're not going to target a specific date until we get that testing completed, and we look at the fault tree, and then we understand the path for it," Stich said.
Read more: Boeing's Starliner spacecraft still doesn't have a landing date, NASA says
NASA still has no return date for Starliner
NASA still does not know when astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will be able to return home on Boeing Starliner.
The space agency and Boeing held a press conference on Wednesday (July 10) to discuss Starliner's ongoing Crew Flight Test, which has been in orbit for more than a month now. Before they decide on a return date, NASA and Boeing want to perform more ground testing to analyze data and replicate the spacecraft's thruster issues during testing at the agency's White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico.
"We're taking our time on the ground to go through all the data before we decide on the return opportunity," Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said during the press conference.
The absolute latest Starliner could return with Wilmore and Williams would be mid-August, Stich added.
Read more: When will Starliner come home? Boeing and NASA still don't know
Starliner teams await results of thruster tests as mission stays docked to ISS
NASA and Boeing promise a livestreamed update next week on the Starliner Crew Flight Test mission, which is now 43 days into what was supposed to be a 10-day mission. Teams also plan a flight test readiness review at some point in the future, not yet set. The review is a key moment to review the propulsion system causing issues with CFT since a tiny helium leak was uncovered in early May, prior to the June 5 launch.
The media update is pending results from NASA's White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, NASA wrote in a blog post today (July 18). Engineers did engine tests last week to seek to learn why five thrusters misbehaved during CFT's docking with the International Space Station on June 6. (The docking was accomplished, but after the first attempt was waved off.)
"Working with a reaction control system thruster built for a future Starliner spacecraft, ground teams fired the engine through similar in-flight conditions the spacecraft experienced on the way to the space station," NASA officials wrote in the new update. Tests also included items like trying to recreate how Starliner's thrusters will be used as it leaves the ISS and turns on the engines to come back to Earth.
CFT is a test mission and teams have emphasized throughout that the unexpected could happen. As such, both ISS and crew schedules were left flexible in case Starliner remained on orbit for longer. CFT's goal is to pave the way for certification of six-month ISS missions by Starliner that could happen as soon as early 2025. CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are retasked to maintenance tasks on ISS, and Starliner is rated to leave in case of emergency evacuation.
Watch live as NASA, Boeing discuss Starliner at 11:30 a.m. EDT
NASA and Boeing will provide an update about the Starliner capsule's ongoing astronaut mission today (July 25), and you can watch it live.
We'll get the latest information during today's press conference, which starts at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT). You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA.
The mission, called Crew Flight Test (CFT), launched on June 5, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams toward the International Space Station (ISS) for a planned weeklong stay.
Starliner suffered thruster problems and helium leaks during its journey to the orbiting lab, however, and the capsule remains docked to the ISS while mission team members look into the issues.
Read more: NASA, Boeing discussing Starliner astronaut mission today: Watch it live
Starliner plans 'hot fire' on ISS soon, but no landing date yet
Boeing's Starliner will do a "hot fire" test in orbit soon, as NASA and the company continue to probe the cause of thruster failures and a helium leak in space.
"We're going to fire all those thrusters to a number of pulses, just to make sure before we undock, that whole system performs the way we expected and the way it did last time we checked it," Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, told reporters in a livestreamed press conference.
"We'll also get a chance to look at the helium system," he added. "It's been six weeks since we last checked that helium system; that was on June 15. So we'll pressurize manifold by manifold, and then hot-fire the thrusters, and then we'll get a chance to look at the helium leak rates and verify that the system is stable."
Read more: 50 days after launch to ISS, Boeing's Starliner still has no landing date
Boeing's Starliner tests thrusters at ISS
The first Boeing Starliner to fly astronauts to space performed a crucial in-space test Saturday (July 27) as the next mission faces a months-long delay.
Engineers tested Starliner's reaction control system (RCS) thrusters at the International Space Station to prepare for a wider agency review that will evaluate the spacecraft's readiness for landing NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams sometime in August, if all goes to plan.
"Teams will evaluate the results of the test firings over the next few days as they work through overall studies, ahead of an agency readiness review," NASA officials wrote in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.
Related: 50 days after launch to ISS, Boeing Starliner astronauts still have no landing date
Boeing Starliner's NASA astronauts are not stranded in space
Boeing Starliner's two astronauts knew to expect the unexpected when they took off on the spacecraft's first crewed mission on June 5.
I learned this back in March, when NASA hosted reporters at the agency's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston for two days. We used four Starliner simulators, spoke at length with senior agency and Boeing leadership, and sat down with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
The duo — career astronauts and veterans of long International Space Station (ISS) missions — were both U.S. Navy test pilots when they started out and knew how to build aerospace programs with big teams decades ago. This is why they were selected to put Starliner through its crewed paces for the first time.
Read more: No, Boeing Starliner's NASA astronauts are not stranded in space. Here's why.
No landing date yet for Starliner as SpaceX targets ISS launch
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, on its first historic mission with astronauts, will remain docked at the International Space Station as NASA and the company evaluate data from ground and in-space thruster testing, the agency stated on Thursday (Aug. 1)
"Teams are taking their time to analyze the results of recent docked hot-fire testing, finalize flight rationale for the spacecraft’s integrated propulsion system, and confirm system reliability ahead of Starliner's return to Earth," NASA officials wrote in a blog post.
Starliner's location at the forward port of the ISS Harmony module is supposed to be cleared to make way for SpaceX Crew-9, which is launching no earlier than Aug. 18. Starliner originally was expected to spend about 10 days in space after launching June 5, but remained for what has now been two months.
While the two NASA astronauts with Starliner are cleared to return anytime and are not stranded in space, they are staying at ISS to allow the root causes of helium leaks and thruster misfirings to be determined. Boeing wants to send the first operational mission to the ISS, which would last six months, in 2025 and may require changes to the design or how the propulsion system is used to achieve that.
NASA may send Boeing Starliner astronauts home on SpaceX Dragon
Boeing Starliner may not bring its first astronauts home after all.
NASA officials, absent a representative from Boeing, updated reporters today (Aug. 7) about how troubleshooting Starliner's undocking and landing may affect the next SpaceX astronaut flight to the International Space Station.
Starliner has faced a lot of difficulties since launching its first astronaut mission, most especially after 5 of its 28 reaction control thrusters (RCS) misfired during docking with the ISS on June 6. Work on the matter is ongoing, and as NASA revealed yesterday (Aug. 6), it will require the next launch to the ISS to wait.
Crew-9, SpaceX's ninth operational flight to the ISS designed for four astronauts, will now launch Sept. 24 instead of Aug. 18. That's because NASA may send only two astronauts up on Crew-9, and bring the Starliner astronauts with the two returning crew sometime around February 2025.
Read more: NASA considers sending Boeing Starliner astronauts home on SpaceX Dragon
Boeing Starliner astronauts to return on SpaceX Dragon
NASA announced Saturday (Aug. 24) that its two Boeing Starliner astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, will not be returning on their Starliner spacecraft as planned.
Instead, they'll ride SpaceX's Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft and return to Earth no earlier than February 2025. The Starliner spacecraft, meanwhile, will be returned empty for a landing in White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico sometime in mid- to late-September.
"The bottom line with respect to bring Starliner back was that there was just too much uncertainty in the prediction of the thrusters," NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stitch said in a NASA press conference. "It was just too much risk with a crew and so we decided to pursue the uncrewed testing."
Starliner experienced helium leaks and thruster problems during its flight to the International Space Station after launching on June 5. Those problems led to testing on the ground and in space, with NASA ultimately deciding to return the Starliner astronauts home on SpaceX's Dragon to be on the safe side.
"I think everybody is professional and did their jobs, but there is a sense of not accomplishing the mission that we set out to do," Stitch added. "And even for myself personally, that is a hard thing to go through."
The decision effective turns what was supposed to be an 8-day mission into an 8-month mission for Wilmore and Williams.
SpaceX will now launch the Crew-9 mission to the ISS for NASA with only two astronauts aboard in late September, with the remaining two seats reserved for Williams and Wilmore's return.
“Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told reporters. "The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star."
Strange noises are coming from Boeing Starliner spacecraft
On Saturday (Aug. 31) NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore noticed something weird inside the Starliner spacecraft.
Wilmore radioed down to Mission Control to ask about the bizarre noises heard emanating from Starliner's speakers while the spacecraft is currently docked to the International Space Station (ISS).
"There's a strange noise coming through the speaker," Wilmore tells Mission Control "I don't know what's making it."
Boeing, NASA to preview Starliner landing today
UPDATE: NASA's Boeing departure press conference on YouTube is experiencing technical difficulties. You can watch it on NASA+ for now.
NASA and Boeing will preview the planned Sept. 6 undocking and Sept. 7 landing of Boeing's Starliner crew capsule today in a live press conference at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT). You can watch it live in the video feed above. You can also watch it on NASA+.
"Starliner is scheduled to autonomously undock from the space station at approximately 6:04 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 6, to begin the journey home, weather conditions permitting. NASA and Boeing are targeting approximately 12:03 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, for the landing and conclusion of the flight test," NASA officials wrote in a statement.
Boeing Starliner undocks tonight!
It's undocking day for Boeing's crewless Starliner Crew Flight Test capsule today as the spacecraft prepares to return to Earth overnight tonight, without its astronaut crew.
The Starliner spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station at 6:04 p.m. EDT (2204 GMT) today, Sept. 6, to prepare for a midnight landing in New Mexico. You can watch the undocking live in the window above, courtesy of NASA, at 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 GMT).
Starliner is due to land at about 12:03 a.m. EDT (0403 Sept. 7 GMT) on Saturday at White Sands Space Harbor in the New Mexico desert. The landing site was also the destination for Boeing's two previous uncrewed test flights. NASA's landing webcast will begin at 10:50 p.m. EDT (0250 GMT), with the deorbit burn scheduled for 11:17 p.m. EDT (0317 GMT).
The two NASA astronauts who launched on Starliner to the ISS on June 5, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are staying behind on the space station due to concerns with the spacecraft's thrusters. They will return to Earth in February on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
NASA livestream for Boeing undocking begins
NASA's livestream of today's uncrewed Boeing Starliner undocking from the International Space Station is underway.
Undocking is on schedule for 6:04 p.m. EDT (2204 GMT). Once undocked, it will take about 6 hours for Starliner to return to Earth. It is scheduled to land at White Sands Space Harbor at 12 a.m. EDT (0400 Sept. 7 GMT).
NASA and Boeing mission managers have completed a final poll for undocking. All systems are GO, NASA officials said.
'You guys got this,' Starliner astronaut says to Mission Control
The two NASA astronauts sent some encouraging words to the Mission Control team watching over Boeing's Starliner spacecraft undocking at the ISS.
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who are staying aboard the ISS as the Starliner returns to Earth uncrewed, said they have full confidence in the flight control team watching over the capsule's undocking and landing.
"It is time to bring Calypso home. You guys got this," Williams said of the Starliner capsule. "We have your back and you've got this. Bring her back to Earth."
Undocking! Boeing Starliner departs space station
Boeing's first Starliner to fly astronauts to the International Space Station has left the orbiting lab, leaving its crew behind as it begins its return to Earth.
The Starliner spacecraft autonomously undocked at 6:04 p.m. EDT (2204 GMT) as both spacecraft sailed 260 miles above central China.
The spacecraft was expected to perform 12 thruster burns firing its forward thrusters to back away from the station. The spacecraft successfully left the "keep out sphere" around the station, a 200-meter caution zone around the ISS.
Boeing Starliner begins trip to Earth
Boeing's Crew Flight Test Starliner is on its way back to Earth, without its crew, as it makes an automated landing to end its three-month mission.
"She's on her way home. Congratulations to the undocking team," NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who launched on the Starliner capsule with crewmate Butch Wilmore, radioed Mission Control as her spacecraft drifted away without her.
The spacecraft will spend the next six hours preparing for a deorbit maneuver at 11:17 p.m. EDT (0317 GMT), after which it is expected to make a land landing on the desert floor of White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. You'll be able to watch that live online via NASA on YouTube and NASA+.
Boeing Starliner landing livestream resumes
NASA's livestream for tonight's Boeing Starliner landing in New Mexico has resumed. Currently, the spacecraft is about 30 minutes away from its deorbit burn, scheduled for 11:17 p.m. EDT (0317 GMT).
The burn will set the spacecraft on a path to land at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Starliner is equipped with parachutes and airbags to make land landings on the desert floor there.
Starliner GO for deorbit, landing
NASA and Boeing Starliner mission managers have given the final GO for deorbit and landing. That's the final approval needed to proceed with tonight's landing.
During the preparations for deorbit, Starliner performed a series of thruster tests of 12 thrusters on its service module. One of the thrusters did not fire when commanded, but NASA and Boeing says that one thruster will not affect Starliner's ability to leave orbit for tonight's landing.
The deorbit burn remains on track for 11:17 p.m. EDT (0317 a.m. EDT) with landing still set for 12 a.m. EDT (0400 GMT).
Starliner deorbit burn complete, service module jettison
NASA reports Starliner's deorbit burn went as planned. Starliner is on its way to White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico. Landing at 12 am ET (0400 GMT).
The spacecraft has also successfully jettisoned its cylindrical service module on schedule, exposing its vital heat shield ahead of reentry and landing.
Recovery teams await Starliner landing
As Boeing's Crew Flight Test Starliner spacecraft descends back to Earth, a fleet of aircraft and other vehicles are standing by waiting to recover the capsule.
A minifleet of helicopters and a convoy of trucks and other vehicles and their recovery teams are waiting to spot Starliner light up the night sky as it streaks through the atmosphere. NASA and Boeing have just under 3,000 vehicles ready to spring into action to recover and safeguard the spacecraft.
Starliner will deploy parachutes to slow its descent and then land with an airbag cushion when it touches down.
Starliner hits Earth's atmosphere
Entry interface! Boeing's Starliner has hit the Earth's atmosphere at a speed near 17,500 mph and is protected from the searing heat of reentry by its heat shield.
Soon, the spacecraft will enter a radio blackout period as it is enveloped in super-hot plasma from reentry. That blackout period should last about 4.5 minutes and end at 11:52 p.m. EDT (0352 GMT), NASA officials said.
Above, you can see a look at the final stages of landing from Boeing.
ISS astronauts see Starliner reentry
Live cameras on the International Space Station, in the air and on Earth have spotted the bright streak of Starliner as it reenters Earth's atmosphere. Here's a look at them.
Starliner has exited its radio blackout period and is approaching heat shield jettison.
Starliner deploys parachutes for landing
Parachute deploy!
Starliner has deployed its 3 main parachutes to slow its descent to Earth ahead of landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.
It also jettisoned its heat shield, which is no longer needed, allowing the capsule's large airbacks to deploy and inflate to cushion its landing.
Touchdown! Starliner has landed
Touchdown! Starliner has landed.
The spacecraft landed at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico on target at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT), NASA officials said.
"Really just a flawless and beautiful descent of Starliner today," a Boeing representative said after touchdown.
Recovery teams will soon head to the capsule to safe the vehicle and prepare it for retrieval.
Boeing back on Earth, press conference @ 1:30 am ET
Boeing's Starliner space capsule Calypso is safely back on Earth after a near-flawless landing, even though it did not bring its astronaut crew home.
""Great landing of Calypso, I don't think that could have gone better," NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft on June 5, radioed to Mission Control from the International Space Station where she and crewmate Butch Wilmore remained behind.
NASA decided to keep the astronauts off Starliner due to concerns over thruster issues, but the capsule appeared to land as planned. Recovery teams are now working to retrieve the capsule, and NASA's livestream has ended.
NASA and Boeing officials will hold live press conference at 1:30 a.m. EDT (0530 GMT) to discuss the successful landing. You'll be able to watch that live on this page at start time.
