NASA is postponing the first manned test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft just two hours before the scheduled launch. The decision was made due to a recently discovered security problem, as reported by the AFP news agency. Boeing has faced delays in production for the Starliner, with the first unmanned test flight experiencing software errors that prevented it from reaching the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019. In 2021, blocked valves led to the postponement of a launch. The craft finally reached the ISS in May 2022 with an unmanned launch, but additional problems arose that caused delays to the test flight.
NASA emphasizes that safety is their top priority and they will only launch when they are fully prepared. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced that the new launch date will be organized at the earliest on Friday due to the time needed for overall evaluation. When the Starliner is fully operational, NASA hopes to use it to transport astronauts to the ISS in conjunction with SpaceX’s Dragon ship. This will provide more options for manned flights to the ISS, reducing reliance on Russian rockets that NASA has had for almost a decade.
