Boeing’s Starliner Docks At ISS

June 6, 2024 – Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has become the sixth unique spacecraft to transport crew in U.S. history, with a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket sending the reusable capsule carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station.

Rocketing from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Wednesday, the craft’s team includes two veteran NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who are test driving the equipment before docking with the station for a week’s stay. If the vehicle passes the certification process, Starliner will join the regular rotation of ferrying NASA astronauts to the station, along with SpaceX’s Dragon.

Starliner docked at the ISS on June 6 at 1.34 pm where the two NASA astronauts joined four other Americans and three Russian cosmonauts.

Boeing and SpaceX were awarded multibillion-dollar contracts in 2014 to create private company options for astronaut transport to the ISS.

Image credits: NASA