Boeing delays unmanned test flight to the International Space Station
The mission had to be postponed because of shThere is a problem with the space capsule’s propulsion system Starliner.
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The task is postponed. Boeing announced on Tuesday, August 3, the postponement of the unmanned test flight of its Starliner space capsule to the International Space Station (ISS). In the case: a problem with the payment system. The spacecraft was to be launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:20 p.m. local time, aboard an Atlas 5 rocket built by the United Launch Alliance. But about two hours before launch, Boeing announced on Twitter that its plans had changed.
We’re going back today # starliner Orbital flight test launch 2.
During preparations before launch, our engineers discovered unexpected indicators of valve placement in the propulsion system.
Read the full statement: https://t.co/uQBjvq8ObU pic.twitter.com/4X2INbZj7Q
Boeing Space August 3, 2021
The mission had to be canceled because of “Unexpected indications of the position of the valves of the Starliner propulsion system”On the other hand, he explained NASA (content in English). The next potential window for launch will be on Wednesday at 12:57 p.m. local time. The experimental mission was already scheduled for July 30, but had to be pushed back to Tuesday when a Russian scientific unit unexpectedly activated its thrusters after docking with the International Space Station, changing its direction.
After ending its space shuttle program in 2011, NASA secured Boeing and SpaceX services so they would not need Russian rockets to reach the International Space Station. SpaceX has already transported at least a dozen astronauts to the space station, including Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, aboard its Crew Dragon spacecraft.
For its part, Boeing is behind schedule. In December 2019, during its first test flight, a software issue caused an issue with the way the capsule ignited its thrusters. As a result, the Starliner did not have enough fuel to reach the International Space Station and returned to Earth prematurely. Subsequently, the investigation showed that the capsule almost experienced a serious flight anomaly when it entered the atmosphere.
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