Boeing's first crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS) was scrapped minutes before launch Saturday. A computer system triggered an automatic hold less than four minutes before the scheduled liftoff.
This was not the first time that a launch of Boeing's Starliner was canceled, as a previous attempt last month also faced problems. The Starliner program has faced consistent delays, running years behind the original schedule.
The Crew Flight Test mission is crucial for Boeing to compete with SpaceX's Crew Dragon in the commercial crew program for ISS transport, as the test mission has been delayed due to previous issues, including a valve problem and a helium leak. NASA is looking to Boeing's Starliner as a backup to SpaceX's Crew Dragon for crew transportation to the ISS.
The Starliner was expected to dock at the ISS on Sunday and return to Earth on June 10.
The astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, were safely extracted from the capsule.
Sources: The Washington Post, CBS, NBC, PBS, The Independent, CNN, Ars Technica
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
