CAPE FLORIDA’S Cape Coral —In the latest in a series of setbacks over the years, a last-minute issue forced the cancellation of Boeing’s first astronaut mission, scheduled for this Saturday.
The computer system that manages the last few minutes before liftoff automatically stopped the countdown at 3 and 50 seconds as two NASA astronauts were strapped inside the company’s Starliner capsule.
Everything was called off since there was insufficient time to work out the latest difficulty, and they had only a split second to take off. The reason behind the computers stopping the countdown took time to apparent.
Boeing’s First Astronaut Flight Called Off At The Last Minute In Latest Setback
According to Dillon Rice of United Launch Alliance, launch controllers analyzed the data. However, depending on what went wrong, the team might give it another go as early as Sunday.
At Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, technicians hurried to the pad to assist astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in escaping the capsule atop the fully charged Atlas V rocket. The hatch was reopened an hour after the launch abort.
It was an attempt at a second launch. Leak inspections and rocket repairs caused the first attempt on May 6 to be postponed.
NASA desires a backup for SpaceX, which began manned flights in 2020.
Boeing’s First Astronaut Flight Called Off At The Last Minute In Latest Setback
Despite having a launch window that overlapped with SpaceX’s in 2019, Boeing’s first test flight without a crew never made it to the space station.
A second attempt in 2022 went more smoothly, but subsequent flammable and parachute issues led to more delays. In addition to a rocket valve problem, the capsule’s propulsion system experienced a minor helium leak last month.
Two hours before the scheduled liftoff on Saturday, another valve problem occurred. However, the team managed to get the ground-equipment valves operating again by using a backup circuit, which allowed them to top off the rocket’s upper stage fuel. The ground launch sequencer, a computer system, put an end to the launch controllers’ relief and let them continue.
Boeing’s First Astronaut Flight Called Off At The Last Minute In Latest Setback
From the nearby Kennedy Space Center, backup pilot Mike Fincke of NASA stated, “Of course, this is emotionally disappointing.”
SOURCE – (AP)
