NASA gives Starliner ‘go to proceed’

April 26, 2024 (Boeing press release)

Boeing and NASA are proceeding with plans for the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft’s Crew Flight Test following a Flight Test Readiness Review at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The readiness review is a standard pre-launch milestone ahead of all human spaceflight missions, and is a forum for technical briefings and discussions for NASA and its partners to align on readiness.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore (foreground) and Suni Williams (far left) arrived at Kennedy Space Center ahead of the Crew Flight Test. (Image Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

Carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, Starliner will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket no earlier than 10:34 p.m. Eastern time on May 6 from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Starliner mounted on top of ULA Atlas V rocket (Image Credit: ULA)

Starliner arrived at Space Launch Complex-41 on April 16 after making the trek from the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. Starliner was placed atop the Atlas V rocket and is scheduled to be transported a short distance to the pad on May 4.

During the test flight, Commander Wilmore and pilot Williams and the Boeing team will test the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system from pre-launch to docking at the International Space Station, and from undocking to landing and recovery.

Following a successful test, NASA will work to complete certification of the Starliner spacecraft and systems for regular crew rotation missions to the space station.

Source: Boeing